Rabbis Ban Dig at City of David but Work Continues

The two Chief Rabbis ruled last night that the entire City of David archaeological site is a cemetery and no excavations are to take place. Nevertheless, the archaeological team led by Prof. Yigal Shilo continued its work today under heavy police protection. The scientists argued that the rabbinical ban is not binding and that the permit allowing them to dig, which was issued by the Ministry of Education and Culture, is still in effect.

The question now is whether the government will abide by the permit and consider it valid or capitulate to religious pressure. One indication that the issue will become more intense were statements by Religious Affairs Minister Yosef Burg and the National Religious Party’s Knesset Whip Dr. Yehuda Ben Meir. Both said that the ruling of Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren and Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef was binding.

Meanwhile, a delegation of the Israel Archaeological Society and the Israel Exploration Society met today with Premier Menachem Begin to express their view that the work at the City of David near the Western Wall should not be stopped. Dr. Avraham Biran, the head of the Exploration Society, pointed out that the excavation license was granted according to law and was still in effect, and that the evidence offered by the rabbis that there was a Jewish cemetery at the site was inconclusive.

The final decision on whether the site contains a cemetery and whether the excavation license is valid will be made by the Education Ministry headed by Zevulun Hammer of the NRP. Work at the site has been going on since 1978 without any controversy a disturbances. The controversy and physical clashes between Orthodox extremists and archaeologists only erupted several months ago.