Intan Rakhmayanti Dewi, CNBC Indonesia
Tech
Thursday, 16/11/2023 21:00 WIB
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Israel falsifies the reality and history of the land of Palestine using archaeological research. They carried out research by carrying out illegal excavations, which made Palestinians angry.
Israel’s Bar Ilan research university in August last year announced the discovery of the 4,000-year-old archaeological village of Khirbet Tibnah located in the village of Deir Nidham, northwest of Ramallah.
The excavations, which began at the end of July 2022, will be the first carried out in the West Bank since the 1980s. Authorization was granted by the Archaeological Unit of the Israeli Civil Administration.
The move angered the Palestinian population, as they believed that the works were part of Israel’s systematic policy of targeting archaeological areas in the West Bank, and expropriating Palestinian antiquities since 1967.
Launching from Al-Monitor, Excavations were carried out in an area of 50 dunums (approximately 12 hectares). According to the university, the hilltop was inhabited from the Bronze Age to the Roman era, and its slopes were inhabited from the Hellenistic period to the end of the Arab era.
It was students from Bar-Ilan University and a number of settlers from the Halamish Jewish settlement who carried out the excavations. Eyewitnesses told the Ultra Palestine news site that Israeli soldiers were also deployed to the area, along with excavation workers.
On its website, Israel’s Bar Ilan research university indicated on June 12 that it had carried out several excavations at a number of archaeological sites, including the site at Khirbet Tibneh in Ramallah.
On August 5, Palestinian Deputy Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Saleh Tawafsha, accused Israel of launching systematic attacks on Palestinian antiquities to falsify reality and history.
Tawafasha told official Palestinian radio that the Israeli government carried out illegal excavations and theft of antiquities at dozens of sites, including in the Tel Rumeida area in Hebron, Sebastia near Nablus, Bethlehem’s al-Fraidis, Tel Dothan near Jenin, and Salfit and Ramallah.
He gave an example, of the 7,000 landmarks and archaeological sites in the West Bank, 60% are located in Area C controlled by Israel. Tawafasha said most of the sites were exposed to Israeli destruction, looting and theft.
Israeli Mode: Pretending to Look for a Grave
Firas Akl, Director of the Primary Care Department of the General Administration of Excavations of the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, told Al-Monitor that since the beginning of August, Israeli authorities have been carrying out excavations in Khirbet Tibneh, ostensibly searching for the tomb of Joshua Bin Nun, whom Musa designated as his successor to rule the people of Israel, according to the Torah.
During this process, Israeli archaeologists discovered the ancient village. Akl said the available information about the discovered archaeological villages is still scarce. Moreover, the village is located in Area C which is under Israeli administrative and security control.
Staff of the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities are not allowed to access the archaeological sites located there.
It is known that the village originates from the Bronze Age. Even Roman and Mamluk coins, human bones and pottery from several eras were found.
Akl argues that Israel’s excavations at Khirbet Tibneh violate international law. He indicated that the role of the Palestinian Ministry was limited to working in areas A and B of the West Bank, apart from protecting all archaeological sites in the area.
After 1995, following the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip (also known as Oslo II), Israel divided the West Bank into Area A, Area B, and Area C.
Area A covers 18% of the West Bank and is largely controlled by the Palestinian Authority (PA). Area B covers 21% of the West Bank and the Palestinian Authority is responsible for education, health and the economy.
Meanwhile, Israel controls all aspects of life in Area C, which covers 60% of the West Bank, including security, urban planning and construction.
“Khirbet Tibneh originates from the Bronze Age and has been inhabited by several civilizations up to the Ottoman period. It is home to several antiquities dating from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic eras from the Umayyad, Abbasid and Ottoman periods,” explained Akl.
He said that the Ramallah Governorate has many archaeological sites, including the Shuqba Cave which dates back to around 12,000 years ago, Tell al-Nasba which dates back to the Copper, Bronze and Iron Age, and Tell al-Tal, which dates back to the Bronze Age. Not only that, there are many other ancient archaeological sites in the cities of Ni’lin, Abwein, Deir Ghassaneh and Ras Karkar.
Akl noted that Israel is currently still excavating two archaeological sites, namely Tel Siloun and Khirbet Tibneh.
“Israeli forces control hundreds of archaeological sites located in Area C, where staff [Kementerian Pariwisata Palestina] archaeological excavations, surveys and restoration work are prohibited. “Many of these sites end up being looted by antiquities thieves,” he explained.
Nasr Mizher, head of the Deir Nidham village council, told Al-Monitor that Israel is trying to falsify facts on the ground and create false history.
He noted that the ongoing excavations in the village are aimed at controlling and abusing Deir Nizam village and oppressing its residents.
“The Israeli authorities have fenced off an archaeological site inside the village to turn it into a pilgrimage site for settlers. The Halamish settlement was built on village land. The settlers constantly attack residents and farmers in the village,” he said.
Mizher added that Israel confiscated more than 2,600 dunums (642 hectares) of land from the village of 1,500 people, and installed three iron gates to control the village and the movement of its residents.
Israel also set up military checkpoints on the main roads leading to the villages, where soldiers committed the most heinous violations against residents, including humiliating checks on entry and exit.
“This does not include the arrest of a number of its citizens on false charges.” he explained.
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2023-11-16 14:00:00
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