Zealots attack on dig site repelled by women in shorts

Zealots Attack Dig Site
September 14, 2006
This story has been withdrawn because of a possible inaccuracy.

The Biblical Archaeology Review pulled this story. Why? We don't know. We find comical the use of a "scantily clad female" to repell the Orthodox.

Zealots Attack Dig Site
September 12, 2006

The only direct damage to an Israeli archaeological site this past summer came not from Hezbollah katyushas, but from some extremist ultra-orthodox Jews. (By no means are all ultra-orthodox Jews extremists.)

Dig Director Rami Arav looks on as an Israeli policeman attempts to persuade extremist ultra-Orthodox vandals to leave Bethsaida.

On June 29, members of Atra Kadisha, known for their violence at archaeological sites, visited the excavation at Bethsaida, north of the Sea of Galilee, and entered the area closed to visitors where archaeologists were excavating. They demanded that all excavation be stopped because the site "was a Jewish cemetery of our forefathers." Dig director Rami Arav asked them to leave, but they did so only when Arav recruited the assistance of a scantily clad female volunteer to approach them. As they left, they threatened reprisal: "Let's see how you will kick out 50 of us."

The next morning at 5:30 a.m. five vans arrived with black-coated thugs armed with knives. They broke down the fences on the site, entered the areas being excavated, vandalized the excavation equipment and trampled the freshly-dug areas, destroying walls, pushing down boulders, and using their knives to cut the ropes and excavation tarpaulins. For good measure, they pulled down signage.

Damage caused by religious zealots at Bethsaida dig.

Within half an hour, the police arrived. They made no arrests, took no names, but simply persuaded the thugs to leave.

"I have no idea why they came to Bethsaida," said Arav. There are no tombs at the site—Jewish or otherwise.

Efforts to reach Rabbi David Schmidl, the leader of Atra Kadisha, for comment were unsuccessful.