PA TV discounts archaelogical find as a "forgery": Israel "fabricates lies" as part of plan to "build the alleged Temple in place of the Al-Aqsa Mosque"
Official PA TV News, on Israeli archaeologists casting doubt on the authenticity of the newly found papyrus from 700 BCE on which is written "Jerusalem" in ancient Hebrew script
Official PA TV reporter: "As part of the struggle over the narrative, as over the land, the Israeli media is attempting to use a document which is said to be a certificate on which is written in the ancient Hebrew script 'Jerusalem,' and which was found four years ago. According to the story, Israel attempts to fabricate lies and to find proof of them or to write what it wants about them (i.e., the finds) in order to impose the Israeli plan that aspires to build the alleged Temple in place of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Here begins the story, in the middle of the West Bank desert (i.e., Judean Desert) a piece of papyrus form the 7th century BCE is found, and according to the claims it is a certificate for the transfer of a certain type of wine that was sent by the king from the town of Na’arata in the Jordan Valley, north of Jericho. However, the certificate and the goods did not arrive but reached the Wad Al-Hayat cave. The story is not over, as the thief who claims that Israel has a history through his pursuit of antiquities thieves – is looking for the first market to display what he stole. Thus also [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, who is attempting to stand in the path of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) after the slap on the cheek he received last week (refers to a UNESCO resolution referring to the Temple Mount and Western Wall as Islamic holy sites, see note below –Ed.). Against the background of events that have shaken the Israeli archaeologists regarding the level of reliability due to the precedents of forgery of documents with ancient tools and years of excavations, one of the Israeli archaeologists comes out, Israel Finkelstein [from Tel Aviv University], who denies the presence of any connection of the Jews to Jerusalem, or even any archaeological evidence pointing to the location where the Temple was located (sic., see note below)."
On Oct. 26, 2016, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed the finding of a papyrus parchment dated to the 7th century BCE, on which the word "Yerushalma", i.e., Jerusalem, is written. The Antiquities Authority stated that the find is significant as it is the earliest non-biblical source that mentions Jerusalem in Hebrew script.
The full text on the papyrus reads:
“From the king’s maidservant, from Na’arata, jars of wine, to Jerusalem”
The papyrus itself has been carbon dated to the 7th century BCE but some scholars have raised the question whether the writing may have been added later as there is yet no accurate way to date ink.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) passed a resolution in Paris on “Occupied Palestine” on Oct. 13, 2016, with 24 countries voting in favor, 6 against, and 24 abstentions. The resolution was later approved by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee on Oct. 26, 2016, in a secret ballot in which ten countries voted in favor of the resolution, two opposed, eight abstained, and one country, Jamaica, was absent.
In the resolution UNESCO refers to the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, only as “Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif,” and presents it only as a “Muslim holy site.” The resolution condemns “escalating Israeli aggressions” and Israeli “violations” at the site, and calls on Israel “to respect the integrity, authenticity and cultural heritage of Al-Aqṣa Mosque/Al-Ḥaram Al-Sharif… as a Muslim holy site of worship.” The resolution likewise refers to the Western Wall Plaza as the “Al-Buraq Plaza ‘Western Wall Plaza,’” adding quotation marks to the Jewish name for the site.
The resolution was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and Sudan.
The countries voting for the resolution were: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chad, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Vietnam.
Those voting against it were: Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, The Netherlands, the UK, and the US.
Mexico later noted for the record that its position on the issue is one of abstention, although the vote count was unaffected.
Full text here: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002462/246215e.pdf
The official PA daily’s claims about archaeologist Israel Finkelstein denying the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and the existence of the Temple are demonstrably false. A Haaretz article from Oct. 2, 2012, writes: “Actually there are no archaeological remnants on the Temple Mount of the existence of the First Temple. However, archaeologist Prof. Israel Finkelstein does not doubt its existence.”
Official PA TV reporter: "As part of the struggle over the narrative, as over the land, the Israeli media is attempting to use a document which is said to be a certificate on which is written in the ancient Hebrew script 'Jerusalem,' and which was found four years ago. According to the story, Israel attempts to fabricate lies and to find proof of them or to write what it wants about them (i.e., the finds) in order to impose the Israeli plan that aspires to build the alleged Temple in place of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Here begins the story, in the middle of the West Bank desert (i.e., Judean Desert) a piece of papyrus form the 7th century BCE is found, and according to the claims it is a certificate for the transfer of a certain type of wine that was sent by the king from the town of Na’arata in the Jordan Valley, north of Jericho. However, the certificate and the goods did not arrive but reached the Wad Al-Hayat cave. The story is not over, as the thief who claims that Israel has a history through his pursuit of antiquities thieves – is looking for the first market to display what he stole. Thus also [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, who is attempting to stand in the path of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) after the slap on the cheek he received last week (refers to a UNESCO resolution referring to the Temple Mount and Western Wall as Islamic holy sites, see note below –Ed.). Against the background of events that have shaken the Israeli archaeologists regarding the level of reliability due to the precedents of forgery of documents with ancient tools and years of excavations, one of the Israeli archaeologists comes out, Israel Finkelstein [from Tel Aviv University], who denies the presence of any connection of the Jews to Jerusalem, or even any archaeological evidence pointing to the location where the Temple was located (sic., see note below)."
On Oct. 26, 2016, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed the finding of a papyrus parchment dated to the 7th century BCE, on which the word "Yerushalma", i.e., Jerusalem, is written. The Antiquities Authority stated that the find is significant as it is the earliest non-biblical source that mentions Jerusalem in Hebrew script.
The full text on the papyrus reads:
“From the king’s maidservant, from Na’arata, jars of wine, to Jerusalem”
The papyrus itself has been carbon dated to the 7th century BCE but some scholars have raised the question whether the writing may have been added later as there is yet no accurate way to date ink.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) passed a resolution in Paris on “Occupied Palestine” on Oct. 13, 2016, with 24 countries voting in favor, 6 against, and 24 abstentions. The resolution was later approved by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee on Oct. 26, 2016, in a secret ballot in which ten countries voted in favor of the resolution, two opposed, eight abstained, and one country, Jamaica, was absent.
In the resolution UNESCO refers to the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, only as “Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif,” and presents it only as a “Muslim holy site.” The resolution condemns “escalating Israeli aggressions” and Israeli “violations” at the site, and calls on Israel “to respect the integrity, authenticity and cultural heritage of Al-Aqṣa Mosque/Al-Ḥaram Al-Sharif… as a Muslim holy site of worship.” The resolution likewise refers to the Western Wall Plaza as the “Al-Buraq Plaza ‘Western Wall Plaza,’” adding quotation marks to the Jewish name for the site.
The resolution was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and Sudan.
The countries voting for the resolution were: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chad, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Vietnam.
Those voting against it were: Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, The Netherlands, the UK, and the US.
Mexico later noted for the record that its position on the issue is one of abstention, although the vote count was unaffected.
Full text here: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002462/246215e.pdf
The official PA daily’s claims about archaeologist Israel Finkelstein denying the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and the existence of the Temple are demonstrably false. A Haaretz article from Oct. 2, 2012, writes: “Actually there are no archaeological remnants on the Temple Mount of the existence of the First Temple. However, archaeologist Prof. Israel Finkelstein does not doubt its existence.”