With a complex nocturnal operation, a graffiti by Banksy considered lost forever was recovered in extremis in a house under demolition in Bethlehem (West Bank) and transferred to an art gallery in Tel Aviv.
Yediot Ahronot reports that the work in question shows a rodent and is called 'Rat with a sling'.
The newspaper states that 15 years ago the artist visited Bethlehem, was impressed by the conditions of the Palestinians subjected to the occupation and drew his 'Rat' on the outside, in concrete, of an Israeli army post.
Later the post was abandoned, the wall was removed and the drawing was erased by unknown persons who wrote on it, with red paint, 'Banksy-Rat, rest in peace'.
The graffiti rescue operation was coordinated by a US art dealer whose name the newspaper does not mention.
It was he who organized the transfer from the West Bank to Tel Aviv.
The concrete slab, according to the newspaper, weighs about 800 kilograms and a crane was needed to pick it up.
In the meantime, the insulting writings have been erased and the work has returned to its original appearance.
According to the owners of the Israeli art gallery, also not named by the newspaper, it is a very valuable graffiti.
It is possible that, before being put on sale, it will be shown to the public, probably accompanied by an exhibition with other works of Banksy's 'street-art'.