Jerusalem.. The Story of Imad Abu Khadija and the Seven Tunnels | Jerusalem News

Al Jazeera reporter

Occupied Jerusalem – Like other traders in the Old City, Al-Maqdisi Imad Ishaq Abu Khadija has been brought to a standstill by occupation measures, which have seen the number of tourists to the city drop significantly since Israel invaded Gaza on October 7 last year.

Abu Khadija's shop is called “Khan Abu Khadija” and is located on Bab al-Silsilah Street in the Old City Jerusalem near aqsa mosque Mubarak used it as a small cafe selling antiques and had previously received a Turkish grant to restore it.

Imad Abu Khadija said the store was not his own but was an Islamic donation entrusted to him, suggesting it had been owned by his father since 1930 Rent.

He explained that he worked on its expansion and restoration in secret for more than 30 years “because occupation laws prohibited its restoration on the pretext that it was an antique.”

He added that when the place was being restored a few years ago, he discovered what he called a “treasure” underneath, pointing to an opening that he said led to seven tunnels, “one of which leads to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Another leads to the Wall of Braq, a third to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and a fourth to the Damascus Gate (..) “Historically, it dates back 2,300 years ago.”

Currently, in light of the war in Gaza, Imad Abu Khadija complains about the stagnant economy, saying: “We opened our shops during the war just for ventilation, and we paid out of our own pockets to protect our property from Effects of moisture and dust.”

He continued, “This is an Islamic donation, not mine. My father entrusted it to me and every Muslim in the world is a partner in Jerusalem and the Old City.”

The goal of the occupying forces is to capture the entire old city and empty it of its sacred citizens, he said, adding that visiting the town and buying things from it could help people survive and continue.