Political Archeology

Israel is close to building a $55 million cable car through occupied East Jerusalem, despite opposition from archaeologists, architects, Palestinians, and a tiny community of Jews. Critics say the project is intended to hide the local Palestinian population from some 3 million tourists who visit Jerusalem each year, turning the city into a 'Disneyland' focused on promoting Israeli interests.

Israel is stepping up its efforts to seize control of Palestinian heritage sites and antiquities in the occupied territories in violation of international law, Palestinian and Israeli archaeologists warned this week. The experts echoed criticisms levelled against Israel in a recent resolution passed by the United Nations' cultural agency, UNESCO, that accused Israel of interfering with major holy sites in occupied areas.