conference Archaeology in the West Bank: Academic Research, National Identity, and Military Rule
Time: Thursday, December 7, 18:00-20:00
Location: Agron Youth Hostel, 6 Agron st. Jerusalem
The West Bank, occupied by Israel in 1967, is considered many Israelis to be the cradle of the nation, the place where the stories of the Bible actually took place. The Israeli preoccupation with the past – real or imaginary – has a decisive impact on the discourse within Israel, on every-day reality of those who live in the West Bank, and on the political conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Israel began conducting archaeological surveys and excavations immediately after it took control of the West Bank in 1967. Over the past decade, archaeological tourism to the West Bank has taken off with more and more sites being promoted to Israeli and foreign tourists.
Emek Shaveh’s conference on 7/12/2017 in Jerusalem will explore the tensions created by Israel’s archaeological work in the West Bank. The speakers will talk about infringement of international law, tensions between political agendas and scientific ethics, the implications of archaeological works on the Israelis and Palestinians who are living in or near ancient sites managed by settlers and more.
Prof. Raphael Greenberg, Archaeology by Default, Tel Aviv University
Dr. Yonatan Adler, Danger! Archaeology in a Minefield of Politics, Ideology and Religion, Ariel University
Architect Islam Ideas, Living Amongst Antiquities: Archaeology from Palestinian Perspective, Emek Shaveh
Ohad Shaked, Using tourism as a political tool In the Samaria area 2005-2015: Tourism as a tool for attitude changing in conflict zones, Haifa University
The conference will be simultaneously translated into English
