On Sunday (December 17), the IDF held an official Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony at the Hasmonean Palaces site in the Binyamin region. The ceremony was organized by soldiers from the battalion responsible for the area, as part of preparations for the site's opening to the public during the Hanukkah holiday.
The ceremony took place just days after a tour by the Binyamin Regional Council revealed significant damage to the site: graffiti was spray-painted on an ancient mikveh, and severe damage was caused to a nearby necropolis after antiquities thieves broke into an ancient burial site and caused irreparable destruction.
The site, considered one of the central archaeological sites related to the Hasmonean dynasty, is not regularly open to visitors. However, during Hanukkah, free entry for Israelis will be allowed, thanks to the initiative of the Binyamin Regional Council and the Ministry of Heritage, with assistance from the Civil Administration and the IDF.
During the ceremony, the soldiers received a historical overview of the site's significance and sang holiday songs. While previous Hanukkah candlelightings have been held at the site with public figures in attendance, this is the first time an official ceremony has been organized by the IDF, the body responsible for securing the site.
The council noted that there has been significant progress in safeguarding the site, thanks to the efforts of the IDF and the Civil Administration, which demolished illegal structures in the area. The Hasmonean Palaces project also ensures a permanent Israeli presence on the ground.
Yisrael Ganz, Head of the Binyamin Regional Council and Chairman of the Yesha Council, said: "The lighting of the Hanukkah candles at the Hasmonean Palaces by IDF soldiers is a particularly emotional and symbolic moment. In the place where the Hasmonean kings led the Jewish people with faith and victory, today stand IDF soldiers - the continuers of their path. This is a message of connection between the glorious past of the Jewish people and its strength in the present. We will continue to guard, develop, and strengthen Israel’s hold on the Hasmonean Palaces and throughout Benjamin."