Who would have guess this Muslim would be in denial of the ancient Jews presence in Middle East?????
Zahi Hawass is a pretty mixed-bag. He's charming and energetic, and has done a lot to revitalize world-wide interest in the study of Egyptian antiquities. On the other hand, he can be capriciously and ideologically repressive when dealing with anything that threatens to challenge the accepted theories of orthodox Egyptology.
His shameful treatment of Rudolf Gantenbrink and his "Upuaut" robot team in the exploration of the mysterious "air shafts" of the Queen's Chamber of the Great Pyramid was the turning point for me where I transitioned from enthusiastic support of Hawass to watchful skepticism.
With regard to this particular issue, I don't know if his obstructionism is derived from his personal "Muslim" beliefs, but I suspect not. He has always struck me as being a pretty secular academician with a real passion for his field of study. He's also a smart political animal, however, who has to avoid the pitfalls of serving in a rabidly repressive Muslim Egyptian government. His obstructionism in this case may be due as much to the necessities for his own political survival as to any personal religious beliefs.
It matters NOT if he is a "believer" or simply a useful tool of the Islamist - the effect is the same.
Much of the world's knowledge and accomplishments which the Arab Muslim world claim as THEIR contribution to civilization was the contribution of conquered and enslaved and non Arabs.
Zahi Hawass is of the same school...
He wears his Raiders of the Lost Ark hat - brings in infidels to provide the intellectual work, high tech equipment, analysis and put thing in context for Hawass...
He strikes me as the Al Gore of Egypt -- In Texas they would say - all hat and no cattle.