Press Release

June 29, 2009

This Thursday, July 2, 2009:

For the First Time: Antiquities Protection Day in the Israel Defense Forces

A Study Day at Bet Guvrin and Soldiers' Activities throughout the Country

The first cooperation of its kind between the Israel Antiquities Authority
and the Israel Defense Forces is currently being fostered. Within the
framework of the Nature and Environment Awareness Week in the army, an
antiquities protection day will be held on Thursday July 2, which is
intended to raise understanding about the need to safeguard antiquities in
IDF bases and firing ranges and to strengthen cooperation between the two
bodies.

During the course of the day, which is organized in conjunction with the
Infrastructure and Deployment Department of the IDF's Planning Directorate,
the soldiers will adopt archaeological sites and tend them, will tour
antiquities sites and an important study day will be conducted, the purpose
of which is to establish cooperation between the IDF and IAA. During the
study day, which will be held in the Bet Guvrin National Park, IAA
administrators and IDF officers from the rank of major and above will
participate in a variety of discussions dealing with planning, environmental
protection, education, engineering, building, transport, logistics,
coordinating firing ranges and training etc.

There are numerous antiquities sites that are located in IDF firing ranges
and bases. These places are in the hands of the IDF and consequently the
supervisory capability of the IAA is relatively limited. It has occurred on
more than one occasion that because of a lack of awareness about antiquities
on the part of soldiers and their commanders, sites were damaged while
training in firing ranges or against a background of earthmoving work and
construction which were implemented in bases.

In light of this, the IDF and IAA decided to cooperate for the purpose of
boosting soldiers' awareness regarding the importance of the antiquities,
which constitute the cultural heritage of Israel.

Cooperation between the IDF and IAA will benefit both sides. Thus for
example, shortly after the importance of antiquities was explained to
soldiers in one of the IDF's training bases they contacted the IAA and
reported an antiquities robbery that had been committed near their army
base. In another instance, the IAA prepared a survey for the IDF in which
cisterns were mapped that are located in areas where navigation exercises
are carried out in the south of the country - a measure that made it
possible to protect the lives of soldiers on the one hand, and to study the
region's antiquities in an in-depth manner on the other.

In certain instances, after a joint decision is reached by the IAA and the
IDF, extremely important archaeological sites that are located in firing
ranges are closed to military traffic. This was the case in Mitzpe Shivta,
where there are an impressive church and monastery that date to the
Byzantine period (fourth century CE), and at Har Zayyad, where there are the
remains of a burial field from 4,000 years ago.

Another example of coordination between the two bodies occurred during the
planning stage of the Bahadim army training center. In this case a
preliminary development survey was conducted that was underwritten by the
military. The survey made it possible to identify concentrations of
antiquities on the ground and change the original planned location of the
base so that the antiquities would be situated outside of it and thereby
facilitate their protection.

For further details, kindly contact: Yoli Shwartz, Israel Antiquities
Authority Spokesperson

052-5991888, dovrut@israntique.org.il