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Thursday, September 15, 2005

A BYZANTINE MOSAIC has been left in Gaza:
Israel to leave 6th century mosaic in Gaza
By ORLY HALPERN

Shlomo Dror, the spokesman for the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, told The Jerusalem Post Wednesday that following "the noise made in the media" about the possibility of the removal of a 6th century Byzantine mosaic from Gaza, Dr. Yitzhak Magen, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority's archaeology in the Palestinian Territories, decided "to leave it as it is."

"I really hope the Palestinians will know how to preserve it," said Dror.

[...]

However, so far the Palestinian Authority has not picked up the infrastructure files that tell where to find it.
Post' informs PA about 'missing' files
By ORLY HALPERN

The Palestinian Authority had no clue that Israel left files containing information about the infrastructure of the former Gush Katif settlements sitting on a table at the Erez military crossing until informed by The Jerusalem Post, PA Planning Minister Ghassan Khatib said on Wednesday.

[...]

Israel had intended to give the Palestinians the files at a handover ceremony on Sunday at the Erez military crossing, said Shlomo Dror, the spokesman for the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, the military body in charge of civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories. "We waited for them [at Erez, which provides access between Israel and the Gaza Strip] at 3 p.m. but they did not come," said Dror.

The Palestinians refused to attend the event.

"We want the files but we don't want the ceremony," said Khatib. ...

Dr. Moain Sadeq, a Gazan archaeologist, is impatient to get his file. The director-general of the Department of Antiquities in Gaza and a professor of archaeology at the Islamic University in Gaza is anxious to see the Byzantine mosaic uncovered in Elei Sinai, a former Gaza settlement, and prevent any damage to it.

"I have no details about what exists in the settlement side. If I have it [there] is benefit for both sides," said Sadeq.

Without the detailed excavation maps and photos he could not identify the site, he said. Israeli government archaeologists had covered the ancient mosaic with dirt to protect it.

[...]

Upon learning from the Post that the necessary documents were sitting at the Erez crossing, Sadeq asked for the phone number of the spokesman for the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories. "I will go myself and get the file."

I hope he did.

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