Five Palestinian Authority Arabs were caught red-handed looting a Second Temple-period archaeological site, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Thursday.
The incident took place at Kherbet Umm A-Ros, an archaeological site located in the Judean Lowlands of central Israel. The site, home to remains of a Jewish community dating from the Second Temple period and the Bar-Kochba revolt.
“In these difficult times, while many of our employees serve in the reserves, the IAA remains committed to safeguarding our national heritage. These robbers sought to exploit the current instability in Israel to steal from our past. Protecting our antiquities is a national mission,” said Antiquities Authority Director Eli Escusido.
The looters, described as a squad of “antique pirates” from the Palestinian village of Zurif, were caught in the act of pillaging the underground system. The system includes ancient storage chambers, cisterns and a ritual purification bath called a mikvah, that was carved into the rock.
The robbers were apprehended by police and the Antiquities Authority’s Robbery Prevention Unit. According to the Antiquities Authority, the group of Palestinians were found actively digging at the site, aiming to extract valuable artifacts such as ancient coins. The thieves brought metal detectors and digging tools to assist in their illegal excavation efforts.
Four were arrested in one of the underground chambers while a fifth was stationed outside as a lookout.
“Antiquities robbers travel from miles away, entering the country illegally, and then cause irreparable damage to our heritage,” said Dr. Eitan Klein, Deputy Director of the Antiquities Authority’s Robbery Prevention Unit. “I’m glad we were able to catch these individuals before further harm was done. We will not let anyone steal our history from beneath our feet.”
