Mount Gerizim excavation reopens

GOOD NEWS:

Mt. Gerizim Archaeological Site Reopens After 12 Years

12 years after being closed because of the Oslo War, the archaeological site on Mount Gerizim reopened in a special ceremony.

By Elad Benari & Yoni Kempinski (Arutz Sheva)
First Publish: 7/6/2012, 4:12 AM

The archaeological excavation site on Mount Gerizim, near Shechem, was officially inaugurated in a special ceremony on Thursday.

The ceremony was attended by Environment Minister Gilad Erdan (Likud), Shomon Regional Council head Gershon Mesika, the head of the Nature and Parks Authority Shaul Goldstein, and the Head of the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria, Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz.

Mount Gerizim and nearby Mount Eival are named in the Pentateuch as the place where the Priests and Levites addressed the tribes entering Israel after their sojourn in the desert, blessing them at Mount Gerizim if they kept G-d's commandments and elucidating the punishments they would receive at Mount Eival if they did not. Mount Gerizim is also an important place for the Samaritans, who believe that the preeminent holy spot is on the mountain and whose Temple was built there.

Mount Gerizim was excavated for more than 24 years and Thursday’s ceremony marked the archaeological site’s reopening after being closed for 12 years since the start of the Oslo War, also known as the Second Intifada.

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Lots more on Mount Gerizim and the Samaritans here and links.