2004.05.21 – First the South Wall bulged out exposing its slow crumbling. Next, a section of the western wall (south of the Jewish prayer area) showed signs of deterioration. Now we learn that, earlier this year, the Israel Antiquities Authority issued a classified report stating that the East wall – the location of "the Seam" joining the stones of Herod to the stones of the
Beit ha-Mi•qᵊdâshꞋ hâ-Ri•shonꞋ (!!!) – was in "danger of immediate collapse" as a result of the 2004.02.11 earthquake.
"The report says that the earthquake damaged the eastern wall to such an extent that secions of the wall are likely [!] to cave in on the underground architectural support of the mount, known as Solomon’s Stables. New cracks and movements in the already-fragile wall were discerned by archeologists following the earthquake..." (Jerusalem Post, 2004.05.20).
