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The most important archeological site in Haifa is becoming extinct

The municipality, the Nature and Parks Authority and the Antiquities Authority undertook to work to preserve Tel Shikmona, but in practice abandoned it.

The site, built thousands of years ago, is of great importance for the history of Israel and Haifa in particular.

New petition brings authorities back to court: "Disclaims responsibility and does not lift a finger"

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• Haifa

• Archeology

Yoav Itiel

Saturday, 07 August 2021, 19:10 Updated: 22:03

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The site of the old and neglected church in Tel Shikmona in Haifa continues to be abandoned by the authorities, and its condition is deteriorating as passers-by dump garbage every day.

This is despite its importance to Christianity, Judaism, the history of the Land of Israel and Haifa in particular, and even despite the explicit instructions and commitment to treat it given to the municipality, the Antiquities Authority and the Nature and Parks Authority in the city district court and the Supreme Court.

The Israel Antiquities Authority says that the plan to preserve Tel Shikmona is awaiting the approval of the mayor, Dr. Einat Klish Rotem. To enforce his decisions.

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The municipality was obliged to preserve the important site in Haifa

To the full article

"This place is of the good old days" (Photo: Shlomi Gabay)

In the authorities' response to the court, they were forced to acknowledge the site's great importance to members of different cultures as the most important archeological site in Haifa, representing a settlement sequence of more than two thousand years, from the biblical period in the 16th century BC to the Byzantine period in the 6th century AD. On one of the 5th century AD mosaic inscriptions scattered on the site, it is written in Greek: "This place is of the good old days."

The good old days of Tel Shikmona are long gone, despite the interest of archaeologists in it since the days of the British Mandate. The lovers of the antiquities site, who are anxious for him, believe that the entire site, and especially the mosaic of the church and the monastery and the cemetery across the road, are now in real danger of extinction. This, in light of the neglect that lasted for years on the part of the responsible parties, the delays on the part of the Haifa municipality, the road paved next to it that made the site even more accessible to the public, as well as heavy rains and winds, proximity to the sea, floods and fire.

"The irreversible damage is already on the horizon," warns attorney Thomas Halon, who again petitioned the district court this week to act against the municipality, the Antiquities Authority and the Nature and Parks Authority, demanding that they do what the courts have already ordered them to do about it. At least nothing has been done to spur the parties and those responsible to act, other than false promises, "he says.

The crossing is forbidden, as if that was the end of some of them. "

"The irreversible damage is already in sight."

Neglecting the antiquities site in Haifa (Photo: Shlomi Gabay)

Halon is a resident of Isfiya, a knight of the First Templar Order in Acre, Haifa, Nazareth and the rest of the Galilee - an order that engages in charity work around the world in order to maintain peace between peoples. He mentions that in the Supreme Court, after appealing - the Haifa Municipality agreed to fence at its expense key values ​​at the site in coordination with the Nature and Parks Authority and according to the guidelines of the Antiquities Authority. He further notes that the parties have agreed to apply "to the relevant government ministry with a request to raise budgets that will enable the site to be maintained according to the program." On the ground, neglect still reigns.

As a Greek Catholic Christian, the affair is personally painful, and he wonders if it would not have been better if the site had remained buried and never been exposed to the ravages of nature and man.

He describes the moment he became acquainted with the place about four years ago, during a walk near the beach, when he was "astonished, shocked and his eyes darkened when the remains were discovered."

According to him, the conduct of the authorities is contrary to the Convention for the Preservation of Buildings in Israel, the Convention on World Heritage, the spirit of the Venice-Florence Convention and even the values ​​of "a democratic state whose basic duties are to preserve culture with minorities." ).

"Nothing has been done yet, other than false promises."

Tel Shikmona (Photo: Shlomi Gabay)

"Instead of the authorities working hand in hand, they are holding hands."

Neglect in Tel Shikmona (Photo: Shlomi Gabay)

According to Halon, "Every reformed country in the world would have been happy to have such a historic site." In his petition, he further stated that "unfortunately, over the years, Christians have had to deal with extremely aggressive discriminatory decisions, both by way of action and by way of default, such as the present case." The court ruled that the neglected condition of the site applies not only to the parts and the Christians, but the authorities treat it this way towards all 17 of its strata - including Canaanite, Jewish, Egyptian, Persian, Hellenistic and Roman.

"The three authorities were supposed to work hand in hand and in practice they are holding hands," Halon criticizes sharply. "References to them have raised pottery and they continue to point the finger of blame at each other, shirking responsibility without pointing a finger and responding with laconic, clever and elusive answers, if any." The authorities have not yet responded to the petition, which will be heard again by Judge Dr. Menachem Raniel, who heard it three years ago. A date has not yet been set for the hearing.

"A site that tells the story of those who lived in the area for thousands of years"

The Israel Antiquities Authority responded: "The Israel Antiquities Authority attaches great importance to Tel Shikmona, a site that tells the story of those who lived in the area for thousands of years. Meanwhile, the authority does not believe in maintaining the site. , Adv. Toma Halon filed a petition regarding the site.

In a ruling given in the Supreme Court in June 2020, it was determined that the municipality must fence off the main parts of the site.

In addition, it was determined that the municipality, the Nature and Parks Authority and the Antiquities Authority must apply for additional budgets for the preservation of the site.

So far, the municipality has not fenced off the area, and with regard to the preservation of the site, the proposed plan is awaiting the approval of the mayor of Haifa. "

The Nature and Parks Authority stated: "The Supreme Court ruled about a year ago that the Haifa Municipality, the Nature and Parks Authority and the Antiquities Authority must act to locate a budget from relevant bodies for the restoration of the Tel Shikmona archeological site. A joint meeting of the three bodies "So far, the Nature and Parks Authority has approached a relevant fund to examine the issue. Regarding the other bodies, they should be contacted on the subject.

The Haifa municipality said: "We will address the court."

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