Ramat Gan Demands Halt to Bus Terminal Construction Over Ancient Finds
Ramat Gan Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen has formally requested that Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu halt the construction of a bus terminal and parking lot by Netivei Ayalon near the Winter Stadium. The mayor is demanding the project be relocated to a nearby site due to significant archaeological discoveries made during preliminary excavations by the Israel Antiquities Authority.
The unearthed findings include a commercial-industrial complex dating back to the 7th to 9th centuries CE. This complex features a street system, 12 shops and warehouses, production facilities, kilns, and drainage systems. The municipality asserts that this is a rare national heritage site and that building the terminal there would irreversibly cover and damage these findings.
Shama-Hacohen stated that alternative locations are available in the vicinity, allowing the terminal to be moved without disrupting transportation services. He also noted that the proposed site is public land, thus avoiding land acquisition costs. The situation presents a conflict between the need for public transportation infrastructure in the Gush Dan region and the preservation of an archaeological asset.
The municipality argues that both interests can be reconciled by relocating the terminal. Ramat Gan is calling for an immediate freeze on all development work, the promotion of an alternative site, and the formation of a joint team comprising the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Heritage, the Israel Antiquities Authority, and the municipality. The city also proposed transforming the site into an open-air museum and expressed willingness to contribute to its preservation costs.
According to the municipality, the public's strong interest in the findings is evidenced by thousands of residents who registered for initial tours of the site within minutes.
