1. Introduction
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Archaeological excavations are tied to the political conflict in Jerusalem from two distinct aspects: one is the appropriation of land to be excavated, which can be interpreted as a means of control over a certain place or area. The second is the focus on the past, which can be seen as an instrument for appropriating the past to one particular group and its narrative. For these reasons, all archaeological activity in the Old City of Jerusalem is perceived as threatening and political. Nonetheless, the excavations do not all impact on the political situation to the same degree. Some are conducted in light of residents or merchants’ needs, are limited in their range and do not turn into national projects.
While reviews of specific archaeological excavations and their implications abound, the chapters in this booklet offer a broad picture of the local archaeological projects. As we understand it, focusing on one event or archaeological dig does not permit an inclusive view of the full complexity of the situation, which must be comprehended in the context of socio-economic conditions in the Old City, its density, and the political battle for sovereignty.
As far as archaeology in the Old City of Jerusalem goes, it appears there is no end to research options. In this publication we concentrate on the effect of central digs in the Old City, digs whose placement and size exacerbate the surrounding divisions. The information is offered in three parts. The first chapter deals with the main recent excavations in the Old City; the second focuses on archaeology in the holy sites; the third describes the digging of tunnels and caverns underground beneath the busy streets of the Old City and Silwan village.
5. Conclusion
The state of Israel has conducted more thorough archaeological excavations in the Old City than were ever attempted by any other government or organization. Despite this, archaeological activity continues to provide a central pillar in its plans to strengthen its political grip on the Old City. Archaeological activities have a clear influence on control over the Old City. Consequently, the Palestinians and various religious groups also see archaeology as a means to increase their control, or as a threat to their control. As the digging of the tunnels and the Waqf excavations show, political interests and the fear of archaeological discoveries often lead to damage to the research process and to the relics. The absurd result is that this colossal investment in archaeology is often coupled with destruction of irrecoverable sites.
There is an evident gap between the state’s inability to enforce the scientific standards expected in heritage sites, and its huge investment in archaeological projects. In addition, the political exploitation of archaeological projects is accompanied by glaring disregard for residents’ needs and for the importance of the sites to other religions and peoples.
Israel is not the first to find it difficult to balance the standards of research with the preservation of local heritage sites and the improvement of the multi-cultural residents’ daily lives. Jordanian rule, British rule and Ottoman rule faced the same problems, if in varying degrees, and the solutions they found were insufficient. One of the difficulties, no doubt, is the absence of balanced and professional bodies free of national and religious motivations.
We believe that only an international team or committee can cope with the competing interests of so many religious groups, while balancing between residential needs and the requirements of tourism. Only such a team, made up of professionals in the field of heritage-site preservation and conflict resolution, can contend with the various and extreme political interests, chart viable policy and methodologies, and monitor their implementation. International cooperation in Jerusalem is not a new idea; this booklet does not concern itself with an international presence or involvement in daily life – social welfare, health, security, etc. – but with issues uniquely suited to such an intervention.
We believe there is a need for a committee devoted to protecting, preserving and developing antiquities sites in the Old City and its environs. The committee must weigh residential needs and the religious and political situation, and balance the archaeological activity accordingly. Such a committee would provide a solution to a situation wherein archaeological research is led by religious organizations, extreme ideological groups, or even openly political government decisions that ignore basic residential needs. An international committee would highlight the antiquities and the Old City as international treasures, rather than as a national heritage site.
