Hundreds of people, including government ministers, diplomats and public figures, gathered Tuesday evening at the Herodion archaeological site in the West Bank for the opening of an international conference on Israeli heritage and antiquities. The event, organized by the Heritage Ministry and produced by Matan Israel, was presented as an Israeli answer to Palestinian efforts to claim the site as Palestinian heritage.
Among the participants was Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, who received a heritage prize during the ceremony. Organizers said the gathering marked the first time in about 2,000 years that Herodion again served as a major center for public assembly in the Judean Desert. The opening night was part of the national “Derech Eretz Heritage” project, aimed at developing, upgrading and making heritage, biblical and Jewish-historical sites in Judea and Samaria more accessible.
The evening’s main production, “Herod vs. Bar Kokhba: The Battle for Eternity,” used dozens of actors, live music, installations, street performances and pyrotechnics to recreate the site’s ancient history. The conference brings together researchers, archaeologists and heritage experts from Israel and abroad, and the ministry said it is intended to turn heritage sites into living centers of culture, tourism and education.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said, “There are those who try to steal our history,” pointing to UNESCO efforts and criticism from inside and outside Israel. Huckabee said, “Your heritage is also our heritage,” adding that “the only way to erase Israel’s heritage is to close your eyes and ears.” The Heritage Ministry’s archaeological officer, Bnei Har Even, said major discoveries continue to emerge in Judea and Samaria, while Gush Etzion Regional Council head Yaron Rosental said the site is among the world’s most important and that work is advancing to restore the pool complex and other attractions.
