In Judea and Samaria, Israeli archaeologists are facing a silent academic boycott that blocks them from publishing discoveries tied to biblical history. Leading scholars warn that these politically motivated restrictions are not just damaging careers — they are erasing vital chapters of Jewish heritage.
Dr. Dvir Raviv of Bar-Ilan University recently completed excavations at Sartaba, a Hasmonean fortress, but already knows he won’t be able to publish in top journals. “The moment they see ‘Judea and Samaria’ on your submission, it’s rejected,” he told TPS-IL.
The roots of this boycott trace back to international policies labeling Israel as an occupying power in the region. Under the 1954 Hague Convention, only "salvage excavations" are technically permitted in occupied territories — a definition weaponized by anti-Israel academics.
Since the Oslo Accords divided the region into zones in 1993, Israeli archaeologists have largely avoided the biblical heartland. Most digs now occur within Israel’s pre-1967 borders, skewing the archaeological record and depriving humanity of insight into Jewish, Christian, and world history.
“This boycott is very clever,” said Moshe Gutman of Preserving the Eternal. “By rejecting publications, the system silently pushes researchers away. The biblical heartland remains critically understudied.”
The consequences are widespread. Without the possibility of publication, funding is denied, research is shelved, and students turn elsewhere. Even international scholars like Dr. Haskel Greenfield and Dr. Scott Stripling have been dropped from major projects for their ties to Israeli excavations.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority actively destroys ancient sites connecting Jews to the land, according to Israeli archaeologists. A recent survey by Gutman’s group claims 80% of sites in Judea and Samaria have been damaged or destroyed in the past 30 years — allegations Palestinian officials deny.
Despite these obstacles, Israel is pushing back. In February, the Israel Antiquities Authority co-hosted the first international conference on archaeology in Judea and Samaria. Though academically successful, its participants have been blacklisted from future projects and publications.
Israeli lawmakers are now considering extending national archaeological oversight to these areas. Critics say such a move could worsen international backlash — but supporters argue it’s the only way to protect what remains.
Dr. Raviv summed up the stakes: “To me, it’s an opportunity. But to humanity, it’s a loss.”