Israel Antiquities Authority

West Bank, Gaza antiquities bill raises international law concerns, legal adviser warns Knesset

The comments came as lawmakers prepared to advance the legislation on West Bank and Gaza antiquities toward final votes in the committee.

View of the ancient archeological site of Sebastia, near the West Bank city of Nablus, May 12, 2025.
The mysterious, ancient tunnel found near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel on the outskirts of Jerusalem, May 14, 2026.

Ancient tunnel with unknown age, purpose found near Kibbutz Ramat Rachel ahead of Jerusalem Day

INEXTG CEO Esti Shrieber, tapped to be the next director of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

Heritage Minister taps INEXTG CEO Esther Shreiber for next IAA director, first woman in role

Hasmonean-era coin depicted the seven-branched menorah (L) and silver tetradrachm minted in Ashkelon during the Persian period (R) which were returned to Israel from the United States earlier this week, May 13, 2026.

US returns two rare, ancient coins to Israel following joint antiquities theft investigation


Knesset advances in first reading bill to form Israeli antiquities authority in West Bank

Should the bill pass, it would shift responsibility currently belonging to the Defense Ministry to the Heritage Ministry.

An Israeli flag is raised on the peak of Mount Sartaba in the Jordan Valley, February 23, 2026.

Eight-year-old boy visiting Ramon Crater finds over 1,700-year-old statue fragment hidden in rocks

“I was looking for special things on the ground that I could show in class,” Wolynitz shared. “ Suddenly, I noticed an interesting stone with stripes lying on the ground, and picked it up.”

Eight-year-old Dor Wolynitz with the over 1,700-year-old statuette fragment he found in the Ramon Crater area, May 11, 2026.

IAA reveals new study focused on ancient Jerusalem bullae in honor of Israel Excellence Week

According to the IAA, the study aims to examine Jerusalem's administrative systems from the First Temple period through the end of the Second Temple period.

Ancient bullae found in Jerusalem, May 1, 2026.

Collection of 7,000-year-old ostrich eggs discovered under sand dunes in southern Israel

The eggs were discovered near the remains of a campfire believed to have been connected to prehistoric desert nomads who collected, cooked, and ate the eggs at the site.

Cache of ancient ostrich eggs found at an archaeological site near Nitzana, March 29, 2026.

Hunting for stolen history: Inside Israel’s fight to recover its looted past

Israel’s antiquities watchdog is battling black-market theft, forgery, and a global trade that strips history of its story

Visitors to the Israel Antiquities Authority’s new center in Jerusalem look at items such as jewelery, makeup brushes, and weapons that had been stolen by antiquities thieves.

From dust to data: How technology is transforming Israeli archaeology

Israel’s archaeologists are harnessing artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cutting-edge science to transform how the past is uncovered – and understood

Multispectral imaging uses different wavelengths of light such as ultraviolet and infrared rays to better decipher faded or damaged writing on ancient manuscripts.

'Heritage as a weapon': How West Bank digs became a tool of dispossession - opinion

How archaeology in the West Bank has become a battleground over sovereignty, heritage, and international law

A Palestinian archaeologist works on a lead sarcophagus discovered in Gaza City in early 2022. A common Israeli claim is that Palestinians have ‘no interest’ in antiquities.

Ancient sites, modern stakes: The fight to own the West Bank's past - from the editor

As fighting rages, another battle unfolds in the West Bank – over history, heritage, and identity, where competing claims to the past are shaping the future

As the current war wages, Israelis and Palestinians battle over ancient narratives.

Palestinian doctor arrested for smuggling Second Temple-period coins from West Bank to Jerusalem

Trading in antiquities and bringing antiquities from the West Bank into Israel without a permit as well as searching for antiquities without a license using a metal detector are criminal offenses.

Coins seized by Border Police from vehicle of Palestinian doctor after attempted smuggling into Israel, March 23, 2026.

Police forced into shelter with two suspects arrested for antiquities theft amid sirens

The suspects excavation equipment has been seized, and the investigation is ongoing.

The destruction caused by the looters at the Horvat Hermesh antiquities site in northern Israel, March 17, 2026.