Current sectionOpinionAccording to the government minister in charge, the Israel Antiquities Authority's purpose is not to reveal this land's history scientifically, but rather to prove the Jewish people's right to the land. Like other authoritarian regimes, Israel's government views science as an enemyShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeNir Hasson02:38 AM • May 18 2026 IDTHeritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu couldn't make up his mind whether Haaretz journalists were "filth," as he wrote on his Facebook page before changing the word to "snakes," later.Loading...Click the alert icon to follow topics:West BankIsraeli politicsAnnexationIsrael archaeologyCommentsLoading...In the NewsIn the News: Israel-Iran Live UpdatesHamasIsrael ElectionsLebanonNoam BettanSettler ViolenceHaQuizHaaretz PodcastArchaeology at the Service of Government Public RelationsWho Wants a Million and a Half Voters?Right Wing Capitalism Stops at the Green LineThe State Is Supplanting Settlers as the Driving Force of West Bank TakeoverMusician Suspected in Two Rape Cases Named After Gag Order LiftedRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIHundreds Protest at New York Times HQ Over Column Alleging Abuse by IsraelisStarlink Users, Beware – Israeli Tech Can Reveal Your IdentityIt Wasn't Just Revenge That Israel Was After in GazaWelcome to the Most Shameful Day in the Jewish CalendarIsraeli Teens Storm Muslim Quarter in Old City, Haaretz Reporter AttackedIsrael Attacks New York Times for Report on Sexual Violence by Israeli Forces