As I write this, Israel’s war with Iran is still raging, missiles are still falling, and tensions remain high. Yet, under the shadow of this war, another quieter but equally as consequential battle is also unfolding in the disputed territory commonly referred to as the West Bank.
Beyond the global political debate over that strip of land and the on-going violence on the ground, a new front is emerging – a fight to claim the narrative of the area’s rich past.
In the sensitive territory, which some Israelis refer to by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria, and view as the greater Jewish homeland, and which Palestinians are hoping will be the land to form their nation-state, it is quickly becoming clear that whoever controls the history strengthens their future claims to the land.
For this edition of The Jerusalem Report, I traveled to the Jordan Valley, on the eastern side of the West Bank, to see some of the ancient sites that are now being excavated by Israeli archaeologists for the first time in 40 years.
I spoke with Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, the driving force behind the push to reclaim the area’s Jewish heritage. He said the plan is to use every technological means to develop ancient sites and “tell the most wondrous story in the world, of the most wondrous people in the world – the biblical people.”
We also have articles questioning the legitimacy of these new excavations. Moshe Gutman, chairman of the Association for the Protection of Israeli Antiquities and a fellow at the Misgav Institute, advocates for developing and protecting the sites in a bid to thwart Palestinian efforts to destroy them. Rafael Greenberg, professor emeritus of archaeology at Tel Aviv University and board member of Emek Shaveh, an NGO advocating for heritage justice, argues that such moves contravene international law.
Dana Ben-Shimon explores steps the Palestinian Authority is taking to develop and protect Palestinian heritage in the West Bank, a direct response to Israeli moves, and Miriam Sela-Eitam takes readers on a tour of the new archaeological attraction, the ancient Pilgrimage Road, which has also drawn opposition from the Palestinian side.
Veteran journalist and archaeologist Shlomo Cesana explores new technology increasingly being used to identify, date, and store antiquities.
In our continuing war coverage, Report staff writer Chani Kaplan delves into the deluge of fake news and AI videos that have bombarded the Web since the war in Iran began, and former Israeli government minister and IDF spokesman Nachman Shai pays a tribute to statesman Moshe Arens, who is largely credited with initiating Israel’s home front defenses.
Ben Lynfield analyzes the northern front, taking a closer look at what is happening inside Lebanon, while Dana Ben-Shimon talks to Lebanese journalists fearful that Hezbollah is so deeply entrenched in their society, war will do little to dislodge them.
Security analyst Eric R. Mandel explores how shifting alliances and technology will transform warfare, making the case to always help Israel maintain its qualitative military edge.
Yuval Eylon, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, explains how short-term disruptions at the Straits of Hormuz could cause a much longer-term transformation in the world’s most critical energy corridor.
I hope that such delving into all these issues will help to illuminate the realities of our past and new the realities of our present.
And on the note of reality, I must extend my deepest apologies to some of our subscribers who failed to receive their printed edition of the Report due distribution complications caused by the war. We hope that you will still enjoy reading the digital version of the magazine until your physical copy arrives.
– Ruth Marks Eglash