On 11 Kislev, Antiquities Authority workers caused heavy
damage to temporary buildings near the Even Yisroel Yeshiva,
founded by Yeshivas HaRan and currently located in
Jerusalem's Ramat Polin neighborhood. The ravage was
perpetrated at the same time that negotiations on the issue
were being held with members of the Authority.
The Even Yisroel administration had set up a number of
temporary buildings in the area near the yeshiva, where 120
students study. Before erection of the buildings, the yeshiva
administration had clarified the issue with the Land
Administration. The Administration replied that the land was
ownerless. After receiving this answer, temporary buildings
were brought to the site, with the intention of dismantling
them when a solution to the problem of the yeshiva's lack of
space was found.
On 6 Kislev, while the temporary buildings were being set up,
Antiquities Authority workers arrived on the scene and
informed the yeshiva administration that the area is an
archaeological site and that the buildings were illegal. No
signs declaring the area an archaeological site had been
posted at the site.
Due to this notification, the yeshiva did not erect an
additional building they had prepared, and all work on the
site was stopped. On Wednesday afternoon, upon the
intervention of Rabbi Moshe Gafni and his assistant, Yaakov
Rosenstein, a meeting was held between the yeshiva
administration and representatives of the Antiquities
Authority to find an immediate solution for the problem.
During the meeting, the sides stepped out in order to tour
the yeshiva.
At the time of the tour, HaRav Tzvi Weisfish, the rosh
yeshiva of Even Yisroel, told the head of the
archaeological team, John Zeligman, that the yeshiva had no
idea that this was an archaeological site. "You're speaking
about antiquities from the Byzantine period? We preserve the
`antiquities' from the period of Har Sinai," the Rosh Yeshiva
said.
Although a genial atmosphere prevailed at the meeting, the
Antiquities Authority spokesperson later issued a false
statement to the media, saying: "Serious damage has been
caused to the archaeological site at Ramat Polin after
tractors entered a defined archaeological site in the middle
of the night and removed archaeological remains from the
area."
Yeshivas Even Yisroel made it clear to representatives of the
Antiquities Authority that at the time of their visit to the
site no damage had occurred, and that their tractors had
operated during the day. It was also claimed that in contrast
to the Authority's announcement, no sign marked the
archaeological nature of the site, and no ancient vestiges
had been removed. At the meeting, even before the
announcement to the press was known, it was agreed that the
yeshiva would not make use of the part of the area defined as
an antiquities site, and that by evening the Antiquities
Authority would approve the remaining area.
In the afternoon, the misleading announcement of the
Antiquities Authority was issued. Immediately, Rabbi Gafni's
aide contacted the directors of the Antiquities Authority.
The Authority claimed that the announcement was a mistake,
and that it stood by the agreement.
Only a few moments passed, and out of the blue, Antiquities
Authority workers, accompanied by policemen, arrived on the
site with a huge crane. Quite rapidly, they removed the
temporary buildings, causing heavy damage.
The yeshiva administration, as well as Rabbi Moshe Gafni and
Rabbi Meir Porush, who were asked to intervene, were enraged
by the violation of the agreement and by the Authority's
unreasonable behavior. The suspicion was raised that the
meeting between the yeshiva administration and the
Antiquities Authority was merely intended to afford the
Authority time to issue the announcement to the media and to
destroy the temporary building, causing the yeshiva great
financial loss.
