Aharonovitch: Avdat incident won't be ignored
(Video) Internal security minister tours vandalized Negev site of ancient Nabataean city, says police will find, prosecute offenders to full extent of the law
Hundreds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site's priceless archeological artifacts, dating back thousands of years, were found vandalized Monday morning by park authorities.
Dimona Police promptly arrested two Bedouin suspects: The first a park gatekeeper and the second a sheikh at one of the nearby Negev villages.
No leniency. Aharonovitch in Avdat (Photo: Ilana Curiel)
Touring the ancient Nabataean city, Aharonovitch said that the police would do everything in their power to catch the people responsible: "My message to anyone who thinks they can vandalize a Jewish and world heritage site is very simple – we will not allow any such a thing.
"We will show no leniency towards these offenders… We will not compromise, and anyone breaking the law should know that they will be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
Southern District Police Commander Yohanan Danino, who accompanied the minister, told Ynet that "the investigation is still in its initial stages. It takes more than two people to do this kind of damage… the investigation's results will speak for themselves.
Anyone who thinks that such a blatant violation of the law, especially when directed at national sites, will go unpunished is wrong."
Eli Amitay, chairman of the Nature and National Parks Service, is scheduled to submit the final assessment of the damage caused to Avdat on Sunday.
Amitay believes restoration efforts may cost up to NIS 8 million (about $2.14 million).
