Jerusalem – The first major museum exhibition on the divisive biblical figure of Herod the Great has provoked a modern-day row between Israel and the Palestinians over who has the right to dig up his artefacts. unveiling
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The Israel Museum in Jerusalem on Tuesday unveiled a display dedicated to Herod – branded a baby-killer in the Christian tradition but remembered by many in Israel for rebuilding the Jewish Temple two millennia ago.
Palestinians have complained many of the exhibits were taken from the occupied West Bank, land Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war and which Palestinians seek as part of a future state.
The show includes busts and statues of figures from the period when the Romans occupied the Holy Land and appointed Herod the monarch of Judea.
The highlight is a reconstruction of part of Herod’s mausoleum housing what experts believe is his sarcophagus.
Palestinians said the artefacts were removed without their consent from Herodium, the builder-king’s excavated palace on an arid hilltop a short drive from Jerusalem.
The Palestinian minister of tourism and antiquities, Rula Ma’ayah, told Reuters all Israeli archaeological activities in the West Bank were illegal.
“Many dig locations (in the Palestinian territories) fall under Israeli control … and we are unable to reach them. All the work at digs in the occupied territories are against the law, but Israel carries them out and even if they don’t dig themselves they don’t allow us to do so,” he said.
Israel Museum director James Snyder said archaeological digs on West Bank land were carried out according to international conventions and protocols laid down in interim Israeli-Palestinian peace accords.
Snyder said he was unaware of any discussions with Palestinian archaeological officials over the exhibit and there had been no way to study the artefacts properly on site at Herodium.
The relics, he said, would eventually be returned to Herodium once proper facilities to house them were in place.
In the Christian story, Herod ordered his men to kill all baby boys in and around Jesus’ birthplace Bethlehem, fearing one would grow up to become “King of the Jews” and challenge his rule.
According The Gospel of Matthew, Jesus and his family escaped the slaughter by fleeing to Egypt.
Historians said Herod ruled Judea from about 37 BC until his death in 4 BC – four years before Jesus’ official birth day, though that date is also contested. He rebuilt the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and was also renowned for other grandiose construction projects.
These barbarians are exceeding the tolerable limits of patience and reality.It seems that they have undertaken a ruthless policy of challenging israel on any action the government ,military, or people take.Soon they will make demands on us to obtain a permit from them before we bang a nail in the wall.We have created a monster which must be eradicated and soon !
Of course they’re angry since this proves that we were in Eretz Yisroel thousands of years ago and have a claim to the land. Their contention is that we had no connection to the land until the 20th century. I was never aware before that the so called “Palestinians” had any intertest in archeology.
How much have they destroyed from the Temple Mount!?
Send these ‘pali’ nomads packing, once and for all.
The so-called Palestinians are frauds. Jew were the Palesyinians until Jews became Israelis. The so-called Palestinians came from the “other” Arab countries at thew time that Jews began again to inhabit the Holy Land. Jobs were available and the Arabs came because they were starving and living in caves. The Jews offered them a better standard of Living. In fact, the Jews built hospitals and other social organizations from which Arabs benefitted. Once the country was built up, the ingrate Arabs suddenly and fraudently claim that the Jews “usurped” the land. Nothing could be further than the tructh. For simple, thorough, and complete confirmation, read Mark Twains findings during his visit to the Holy Land. By the way, the name Holy Land is because of the Temple of Solomon, not because Necca is in Jerusalem. Pure unadulterated Arab bxllshxt !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reply to 1- are you referring to the Yesh Atid party?
Kol Hakavod, Israel! Am Yisrael Chai!