IAA declines authority over West Bank antiquities

POLITICS AND ARCHAEOLOGY: Israel Antiquities Authority rejects bid to put it in charge of West Bank antiquities. Professionals warn that bill extending Israeli law over West Bank may strengthen claims of de facto annexation, would not solve neglect and looting threatening archaeological sites (Rossella Tercatin, Times of Israel).

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) has rejected the idea of receiving responsibility for antiquities in the West Bank as proposed in a bill introduced by Likud MK Amit Halevi. As a result, Halevi has presented an amendment to the bill to establish a new body under the authority of the Heritage Ministry to fulfill this purpose.

... During the committee meeting, IAA Chief Scientist Dr. Gideon Avni acknowledged the poor status of the antiquities in the West Bank due to neglect and damage. Still, he argued that transferring the responsibility for the sites to the IAA would not help because the Staff Officer for Archaeology is more effective than what the authority could be.

“The IAA has been working in cooperation with the Civil Administration’s Archaeology Unit for years, and if the Staff Officer for Archaeology were under the IAA, his power would be diminished,” Avni said.

Staff Officer for Archeology, Benny Har Even, also attended the meeting and warned that the bill could backfire. ...

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.