Row over Religious Dig

Sky News is running a story “Unholy Row over Religious Site Dig” in a prominent place on its broadcasts which is in fact a new version on an old theme, and one that always ignores the important facts which are available to any competent reporter.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1312506,00.html

Any dig undertaken by Israel is always viewed with suspicion whereas the untold damage to antiquities, when the Palestinians undertake “development work” at the Temple Mount, is conveniently ignored.
From a contact who lives in the area reviewed in this story and travels around the neighborhood during her day to day business, she reports that :-

The main digs are taking place in what used to be the Givati Parking lot, which is almost directly across from the Dung Gate in the Old City. The other main digging area is right next to the City of David visitor’s center. The parking lot definitely had no houses on it before the digging, (as claimed by the Sky News reporter) and I'm pretty sure the area next to the visitor’s center was empty as well.

The digging is taking place tens or hundreds of meters underground, and is actually not digging out anything new, but they have discovered tunnels from Herod's time, and they are clearing them out. The tunnels were used by the pilgrims coming to the Temple on the three main holidays of Sukkot, Pessach and Shavuot). If the Arabs have qualms about these tunnels, they'll have to take it up with Herod.

As for home and businesses being destroyed, that is total nonsense. I drive through Silwan on a daily basis, and nothing has changed. The roads are certainly not cracking, and the businesses are all open and receiving customers.

Once again a reporter is led by the nose and disconnects his brain during the journey and consequently an ignorant public is being brainwashed by incompetent reporting