Bryan ------------------------------------------- http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/352342.html
Antiquities body blames ministry for damage to ancient monastery
By Amiram Barkat in Ha'aretz
The Antiquities Authority yesterday published a statement claiming that the Defense Ministry is responsible for "heavy damage" to a beautiful, rare and important archaeological site it says was caused during building work on a section of the West Bank security fence south of Jerusalem.
Haaretz was told yesterday that the head of the Jerusalem district of the Antiquities Authority, archaeologist John Zeligman, believes that those responsible for the construction work on the fence have commited a serious crime.
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The seven-kilometer section of fence runs from the Mount Scopus area in the north of Jerusalem, up to the village of Abu Dis in the south. The Defense Ministry delegated the construction work to the Israel Defense Forces' building department. Officials from the department went to the Antiquities Authority, as is routine, on July 27 and handed them the building plans. On August 5, the Antiquities Authority filed a request to carry out an archaeological survey of the area before work began on the fence.
Zeligman claims that it was made very clear to the IDF building department that the area where the section of fence is due to be built is an archaeological site, and they were warned not to begin construction without first coordinating the work with the authority.
The authority however claims that the Defense Ministry began with the preparatory work without coordinating with it or getting its approval, as is required by law.
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The inspectors quickly realized that there were numerous, archaeological remains, including carved columns and mosaic floors, in the area where the bulldozers were at work. An examination of the site revealed that it contains the remains of a fifth or sixth century Byzantine monastery.
Construction was stopped immediately, but the bulldozers had already managed to destroy around a third of the site.
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Zeligman, who has served in his position at the Antiquities Authority since 1985, says that he cannot remember such severe damage every being done to an archaeological site.
The law sets a host of limits and requirement on anyone carrying out work on an archaeological site and the Antiquities Authority alleges that they were not met. Anyone who knowingly damages an archaeological site can face up to five years in prison under the law.
Sources in the Antiquities Authority yesterday confirmed that the body had come forward with the details of the incident after officials in the Defense Ministry accused the authority of holding up the construction of the West Bank security fence. The authority is furious at the charges, saying that they were the "height of impertinence."
"Furthermore, by carrying out work without our knowledge, the Defense Ministry has simply shot itself in the foot," said Zeligman.