Israel weaponises archaeology too
JVL Introduction
This fascinating, if chilling interview with an Israeli (dissident) archaeologist shows how archaeology is used politically, to further the interests of an expansionist State. This is not new, but new actions and new forms of control are making things worse. Archaeology does not help ‘prove’ Israel’s claim that this is Jewish land but rather shows that there was never a homogenous culture in the land:
Archaeology in its essence does not provide that kind of certainty and purity that ethnocratic right-wing government ministers might want. So they have to invent it. And then they say the Palestinians are damaging that [exclusively Jewish heritage] and then we will use this as a way of grabbing more land.
There is much evidence of Jewish Israeli settlers harming sites, eg graffiti on sites in the West Bank and what has been done to ancient sites in Gaza is beyond description.
LL
This article was originally published by +972 on Tue 1 Jul 2025. Read the original here.
‘It comes with the territory’: How Israel’s archaeologists legitimize annexation
“Weaponizing antiquities is part of Israel’s colonial legacy, says Rafi Greenberg, whose colleagues have largely remained silent about Gaza’s destruction.
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Thanks for posting this. What is so important is to recognise the comprehensiveness of Israel’s project. The Israeli state will utilise ANYTHING that comes to hand to strengthen its cause – and in a land full of antiquities, commandeering those people who study and interpret antiquities is something we wouldnt think about, but for the Israeli state it’s an opportunity made in heaven. My impression is that some Israeli archaeologists are cheerfully complicit, but many really hate what is going on. The question is – how brave will they be in standing up to be counted? The Emek Shaveh people are very brave – we really should celebrate them.