Israel excavates site in flashpoint West Bank city
JERUSALEM (AFP) -- Israel is excavating an archaeological site in the flashpoint West Bank city of Hebron, officials said Thursday, in a move critics say aims to legitimize Jewish settlement in Palestinian territory.
The excavations began on Jan. 5 during US Secretary of State John Kerry's 10th visit to the region to push Israel and the Palestinians towards an elusive peace deal.
The site is at Tel Rumeida, in the heart of Hebron's historic old city, a spokeswoman for Israel's Antiquities Authority (IAA) told AFP.
"The Israel Antiquities Authority is implementing a salvage excavation ... to develop an archaeological park in (Tel Rumeida) and prepare the ancient site for visits by the public," an IAA statement said.
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