The IDF Civilian Administration conducted a targeted enforcement operation on Thursday to recover rare archaeological artifacts that had been stolen from the Burj Lisana dig site, located in Area B.
The operation was conducted by the supervision unit and directed by the Archeology Staff Officer after Palestinian Arabs constructed a private building at the site, damaging the historic remnants, which are centuries old.
During the operation, dozens of ancient artifacts, including coins, building stones, stamps, Byzantine-era capitals and columns, which were integrated as decorative items in the complex, were seized. In addition, the forces confiscated a metal detector that was illegally kept at the site.
The Burk Lisana site, which overlooks Wadi Harmiya, is considered a major archeological site in Samaria. It includes remains from as early as the Iron Age, through the Byzantine era, and up to the Middle Ages, including a crusader fortress, burial caves, a ritual bath, and the remains of an ancient church.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) says that the structure built at the site disrupted the archaeological continuity of the findings and caused irreversible damage. Following instructions from the political leadership, the Archaeology Unit conducted intelligence monitoring of the looting activity at the site and led the operation to confiscate the artifacts and return them to state custody.
A., head of the unit’s Enforcement, Investigations, and Intelligence Department, stated: “Protecting archaeological sites is a central part of our work and of our responsibility to safeguard the region’s history. Any damage to an ancient site harms not only the artifact itself but also the ability to understand and document the historical story the site reflects. We will continue to act tirelessly, using all available tools, to eradicate the destructive phenomenon of antiquities looting and to protect the national heritage assets and the region’s historical record.”