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Photo: A Non-Biblical Text from Qumran
Photo Credit: Israel Antiquities Authority
The Dead Sea Scrolls have been the subject of many books, articles, documentaries, and controversies. The latest controversy about the Dead Sea Scrolls is brewing in Canada.
The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto is planning a six-month exhibit of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The exhibit is being cosponsored by the Israel Antiquities Authority. The exhibit will run from June 27, 2009 to January 3, 2010.
However, top Palestinian officials have declared that the exhibit violates international law and have demanded that the Canadian government and the museum cancel the presentation.
Palestinian officials have sent letters to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and to executives of the Royal Ontario Museum arguing that the scrolls were illegally acquired by Israel after Israel annexed the West Bank in 1967.
Hamdan Taha, the Director of the archaeological department in the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said: “The exhibition would entail exhibiting or displaying artifacts removed from the Palestinian territories.”
Palestinian officials believe that the exhibition violates international laws on the treatment of archaeological artifacts that were illegally obtained.
The state of Israel believes they are the legitimate custodians of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Israel also believes the scrolls preserve valuable historical evidence of their past and confirm “an ancient Jewish bond with the Holy Land, reaching back to the destruction of the second Jewish temple in 70 AD – and beyond.”
This effort by the Palestinian Authority may be an attempt by the Palestinians to claim authority over what they call “the occupied territory” since they claim that the scrolls are a few of the many artifacts Israel has removed illegally from Palestinian territory since 1967.
Read a news report on the controversy by clicking here.
Who is right in this controversy? Since there are international laws to regulate the treatment of archaeological artifacts, it may take an international court to settle this dispute. However, the way world opinion seems to be stacked against Israel, if the case were to be adjudicated by an international court today, Israel would probably lose the case.
Claude Mariottini
Professor of Old Testament
Northern Baptist Seminary
Tags: Archaeology, Dead Sea Scrolls 
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Dr. Claude Mariottini - Professor of Old Testament 
>Professor,I came across this issue while researching Israel, not artifacts per se, so I’m afraid I’m a little ignorant here on that. What does international law say about possession of artifacts? I would assume that they favour the group that now possesses the artifacts, in which case Israel would presumably have the advantage.In any case, even if Palestine managed to go to the International Court of Justice (I’m assuming they can’t, but maybe they can), Israel would have to accept the court’s jurisdiction over the case. So I don’t see the scrolls changing hands in the courtroom, anyways.
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>Rev. Dave,The laws prohibit the illegal removal of artifacts from a country of origin. In the case of the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Scrolls were in possession of Jordan until Israel conquered the West Bank.I do not think the Palestinians have a legitimate claim on the Scrolls. Their complaint is a test trial about ownership of the land.Thank you for visiting my blog.Claude Mariottini
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>The Scrolls are obviously and rightfully the property of the native Palestinian population: Khaleej Times: Israel Steals Palestinian Heritage, History.
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>I know this was written a long time ago, but I just found it today. I was not aware of the controversy at the time. I just wanted to comment on one part of your article.You said: "the way world opinion seems to be stacked against Israel, if the case were to be adjudicated by an international court today, Israel would probably lose the case."Can you please elaborate on this opinion? With respect, I fail to see how that's the case. Especially with the support of the United States, I think that if it had gone to international court, if anything it would have swung in Israel's favour. In addition, the fact that the ROM decided to display the Scrolls anyway seems to me to prove that the opinion of Palestinian officials don't mean much in their eyes. By "world opinion" do you mean the middle east? Please elaborate if you get this. Thanks& have a great day!
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>Amanda,The problem is that there is a negative view of Israel in the world today. Both the Palestinians and the Jordanians claim that the Dead Sea Scrolls belong to them. Since many people believe that the scrolls were found in occupied land, an anti-Semitic sentiment that exists in the minds of many people probably would say that Israel has no rights to keep the scrolls.Claude Mariottini
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