Israel’s Archaeological Council Condemns Antiquities Authority

Biblical Archaeology Review ^ | Jan/Feb 2006 | editors

[SunkenCiv]

As we reported on page 62 of the January/February BAR, the prominent Israeli Dead Sea Scroll scholar Hanan Eshel is being pursued criminally at the instigation of Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) director Shuka Dorfman for purchasing (with funds provided by his university) looted fragments of Dead Sea Scrolls from Judean Desert Bedouin. Eshel promptly published the scroll fragments in a scholarly journal and donated the fragments to the IAA. This was no deterrence to Dorfman, a retired general without any archaeological experience or background prior to his political appointment as director... According to a recent article in the Israeli magazine Eretz, "Most Israeli archaeologists and researchers agree that the charges against Eshel are purely a vindictive attempt by the IAA to show the academic community who is in charge. And, of course, the IAA is also unhappy about the fact that the credit for the find goes to Eshel and not to it."

[SunkenCiv]

Shuka Fights Back
BAR editors

When Dorfman's five-year term as IAA head expired last year, he asked the education minister to reappoint him for another five-years. The spokeswoman for the IAA reported to BAR that Dorfman has been reappointed for another five-year term. But this is incorrect. Education Minister Limor Livnat extended his appointment for only four months, now set to expire in April. It remains to be seen whether Dorfman's appointment will be further extended. In the meantime, Livnat has resigned as Education Minister.

[SunkenCiv]

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[Polybius]

.......for purchasing (with funds provided by his university) looted fragments of Dead Sea Scrolls from Judean Desert Bedouin.

While it is not desirable to encourage looting, you have to consider that allowing the fragments to be thrown away by the Bedouin is even worse.

[SunkenCiv]

I wholeheartedly agree.