Within the framework of the Nature and Environment Awareness Week in the army, Antiquities Protection Day will be held on Thursday. The Israel Archaeological Association (IAA) intends to raise understanding about the need to safeguard antiquities in IDF bases and firing ranges and to strengthen cooperation between the two bodies.

The soldiers will adopt archaeological sites and tend them, will tour antiquities sites and attend lectures at Bet Guvrin National Park about archaeological preservation while on the tour of duty. There are numerous antiquities sites that are located in IDF firing ranges and bases. These places are in the hands of the IDF and consequently the supervisory capability of the IAA is relatively limited. It has occurred on more than one occasion that because of a lack of awareness about antiquities on the part of soldiers and their commanders, sites were damaged while training in firing ranges or against a background of earthmoving work and construction which were implemented in bases.



In light of this, the IDF and IAA decided to cooperate for the purpose of boosting soldiers’ awareness regarding the importance of the antiquities, which constitute the cultural heritage of Israel.