A restorer at the Israel Museum works on a reassembled display of what curators say was Herod's tomb in the Israeli museum, Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2012. Israel's national museum is opening the world's first exhibition on King Herod, displaying what it says are the reconstructed tomb and sarcophagus of one of antiquity's most towering and despised figures. Palestinians object to the exhibit because it displays artifacts from West Bank sites. Archaeology official Hamdan Taha says the project was not coordinated with the Palestinians, and is against international law. The museum says it will return the antiquities when the exhibit closes in 9 months. (AP Photo/Daniel Estrin)
Israel to open exhibit on biblical King Herod
A restorer at the Israel Museum works on a reassembled display of what curators say was Herod's tomb in the Israeli museum, Jerusalem, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2012. Israel's national museum is opening the world's first exhibition on King Herod, displaying what it says are the reconstructed tomb and sarcophagus of one of antiquity's most towering and despised figures. Palestinians object to the exhibit because it displays artifacts from West Bank sites. Archaeology official Hamdan Taha says the project was not coordinated with the Palestinians, and is against international law. The museum says it will return the antiquities when the exhibit closes in 9 months. (AP Photo/Daniel Estrin)
By DANIEL ESTRIN
Associated Press /
January 15, 2013
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‘‘The excavation is another example of utilization of archaeology and history for ideological purposes ... which will not serve to establish comprehensive peace between the two peoples, the Palestinian and Israeli peoples,’’ Taha said.
Taha said excavating archaeological objects from the West Bank without Palestinian permission is in violation of an international convention which governs antiquities in occupied territories.
Museum director James Snyder said he had not received complaints from the Palestinian Authority. He said Israel is responsible for custodianship of archaeology in the West Bank, and that the museum would, in compliance with international law, return the Herodion artifacts to their original site when the exhibit closes.
‘‘It’s important we take that responsibility seriously,’’ Snyder said.
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