Faith

Palestinians Claim Ancient Judean Shekel Auctioned for $1.1 Million Is…Palestinian

Palestinians Claim Ancient Judean Shekel Auctioned for $1.1 Million Is…PalestinianAn ancient Judean shekel coin was sold at a New York auction last week for a whole lot more than a shekel: a whopping $1.1 million. That in itself was interesting. But there’s more. Now, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is claiming the shekel from 66 A.D. is a Palestinian relic, even though it’s covered with Hebrew inscriptions including “Shekel of Israel [Year] 1″ on the front of the coin, and “Jerusalem the holy” on the back.

The coin is one of only two known Year 1 prototype silver shekels according to the Associated Press, which reports:

It’s the first silver coin struck by Jewish forces revolting against Roman rule in the first century. It features an image of a ritual chalice and three pomegranates.

Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik of the Israeli non-profit Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) uncovered the unusual claim in the Palestinian Authority daily, Al-Hayat Al-Jadida. They report:

Palestinians Claim Ancient Judean Shekel Auctioned for $1.1 Million Is…PalestinianThe official Palestinian Authority daily in writing about the auction described the Hebrew coin from the Second Temple period as an “ancient Palestinian coin” and as being part of the “Palestinian cultural tradition.” The coin, with the ancient Hebrew lettering, can be seen to the right.

Palestinian Media Watch has documented that the Palestinian Authority regularly publishes denials of Jewish history in the land of Israel. However, this article is different. While claiming that Hebrew coins found in the land of Israel are part of the “Palestinian cultural tradition,” at the same time it implicitly acknowledges the Jewish nation’s history in the land by mentioning the Jewish revolt against the Romans.

The article adds that the Jews’ “political agenda” takes advantage of the sale of ancient Hebrew coins. The PA, which does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, and only at times acknowledges that the state does exist, categorizes any archeological evidence of Israel’s ancient past in the land as a “political agenda”:

“It [the sale] is an opportunity for Jewish and Western scholars to use the Jewish revolt against the Romans in Palestine for a political agenda, and to connect this local revolt with the establishment of the Israeli occupation state.”

Claiming the historical narrative has been a key strategy for both Israel and the Palestinians: for Israel, uncovering archaeological evidence of the Jewish historical connection to Jerusalem, Israel, Judea and Samaria and, for the Palestinians, negating that connection. Accusing Israel of “Judaizing” Jerusalem has become an integral part of Palestinian and Muslim political efforts to delegitimize Israel’s connections to the city where its holiest site – the Western Wall – sits.

Recent examples of efforts to contest Jewish ties include last month’s conference to “defend” Jerusalem from Israel; officials identifying Jesus as a Palestinian; labeling Rachel’s Tomb near Bethlehem and the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron as “Muslim mosques,” with no explanation that Rachel’s Tomb is the burial site of the wife of Jacob, biblical patriarch of the Jewish people.

An Israeli university launched the “Temple Mount Antiquities Salvage Operation” in 2005 after the Waqf Muslim religious authority removed 300 truckloads of topsoil from the Temple Mount. Israeli archaeologists were stunned when tractors were used on such a holy site and worked tirelessly to sift through the rubble. Ancient Jewish coins, First Temple artifacts and other historically valuable artifacts are among the items found.

Taking on this ancient shekel, however, may unintentionally undercut the Palestinian position. The word shekel is cited numerous times in the Bible and even plays a central role in the land claim debate. In the book of Genesis 23, Abraham purchases from Ephron the Hittite a burial site for his wife Sarah where later he and the other biblical patriarchs are buried. How much did he pay? 400 shekels of silver. That site is today known as the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, a holy site for both Jews and Palestinians.

Al-Hayat Al-Jadida wrote on March 4th, as translated by PMW:

The announcement that the Shoshana collection – including Palestinian coins which were almost certainly stolen and smuggled overseas from Palestine – is up for auction, is an opportunity for Jewish and Western scholars to use the Jewish revolt against the Romans in Palestine for a political agenda, and to connect this local revolt with the establishment of the Israeli occupation state in the 20th century. Usually, Palestinians and Arabs show no interest in antiquities from this period, for reasons which are unintelligible and not convincing; they are influenced by the Israeli and Zionist propaganda, despite the fact that [the Shekel coins] are part of the Palestinian cultural heritage.”

PMW explains the newspaper’s decision to omit the word “Judea” from its story is significant:

Palestinians Claim Ancient Judean Shekel Auctioned for $1.1 Million Is…PalestinianIn addition, the PA daily’s claim that the Jewish revolt against the Romans in the years 66 – 70 CE happened in “Palestine” is yet another historical revision. The Jewish revolt happened in the land of “Judea.” The Roman coin minted after the Romans destroyed the Temple in the year 70 CE, in honor of Roman victory was inscribed with the words “Judea Capta,“ meaning ”[the land of] Judea is defeated.” See the coin to the right.

The Romans changed the name of Judea to “Palestine” 65 years later in the year 135 CE, after the Bar Kochba Rebellion, not because of the existence of a local population that called themselves “Palestinians,” but in an attempt to distance Jews from their own land, as punishment for the Jewish rebellion.

Judea – in Hebrew Yehuda – is the same word (with a different suffix) as “Jewish” or Yehudi.

Watch this video promoting the collection from Heritage Auctions which sold the coin:

Comments (56)

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  • eyeforaneyeguy
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 11:49am

    Boy i don’t want to give the perpetually unhappy people of the region an idea but they should have called themselves hitits then they could have had hititistan then they would have a resonable claim to some region of isreal and go back along way.

    Report Post »  
    • TH30PH1LUS
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 2:20pm

      Archaeology is the enemy of Islam and other Palestinian lies.

      “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” ~ Joseph Goebbels

      Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
    • cemerius
      Posted on March 14, 2012 at 2:51pm

      Yes you are so correct Eyefor!!! No such “country” called palestine!! Would have even been much better off to be called Ottoman’s too for that matter lol…

      Report Post » cemerius  
  • BOMUSTGO
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 11:28am

    Dated at 66 A.D. and is Palestinian??.Hmmmmmm. Israel was called “Palestine” after 70 A.D. as an insult by the Romans.Those Palestinians must think we are dumber than they are!

    Report Post » BOMUSTGO  
    • tzion
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 11:32am

      It’s worse than that. It was called Palestine only after 135 CE.

      Report Post »  
    • Link8on
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:14pm

      I would expect those authentic archaic Palestinians to all speak perfect Roman Latin instead of the Arabic or whatever local language they currently use.

      The main characteristic shared by the current Palestinians to the historical ones is likely the lead poisoning.

      Report Post » Link8on  
  • Juniemoon
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 11:00am

    Palestinians are Arabs from Jordon and other areas of the middle east. Yasar Arafat was an Egyptian. How can anyone take these clowns serious? Israel belongs to God, he gave the nations it’s borders first, and the Jews got theirs last. You don’t mess with the borders that God gave and Jerusalem was given to Yeshua. Try to take what belongs to him.

    Report Post » Juniemoon  
  • SGT Rock
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:57am

    Next we will be told that Christ was the founder of the PLO. They are trying to extinguish the claims of the Jewish to their ancestral homeland and next they want to finish the work the Nazi’s started. We must stand and help Isreal or we shall answer to God for our actions.

    Report Post » SGT Rock  
    • Texas.7
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 12:00pm

      SGT Rock,
      You are right, and actually, don’t Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet (though not God in the flesh). Doesn’t the entire history of Jesus itself proclaim that the Jews were from Israel? If He existed, and came at the time of Harod, under Roman occupation- isn’t that substantial history enough?

      This takes, “we must change our history, change our conversation” to a whole new level of dishonesty.

      Report Post »  
    • From Virginia
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 9:53pm

      That moron Wright (obammy’s pastor) HAS actually said that Jesus was a pal (a brown man) who was killed by the white man (Romans).

      Report Post »  
  • GrayPanther
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:49am

    The PLO and their ilk are too busy making babies and trouble to look for a real way to solve the problems of the area. Clearly, the happiest Palestinians are residents of Israel. The rest are herded around by dictators from one refugee camp to another. Kind of hard to realize in 2012 people are still living like they are. Say, they might be at home in Afghanistan!

    Report Post » GrayPanther  
  • mzk1
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:25am

    Which Shekel? The US Dept. of the Treasury lists TWO shekels – Israeli and “Jeresalem” Shekels, with different exchange rates! I didn’t know Mayor Barkat was minting coins!

    P.S. Note the coin has no human images on it. Modern Israeli coins generally follow the same rule, often using acient Jewish coins as a model.

    Report Post »  
  • Black_Dynamite
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:18am

    @GUYFROMMAINE

    I like your logic, but that is where your problem is, you are being logical and using logic against these clowns is like throwing a beach ball to a man with no arms…..they just can get it. :)

    http://www.squidoo.com/5linx-from-a-to-z

    Report Post » Black_Dynamite  
  • Tregonsee
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:01am

    I recently looked up “Ben Hur” on DirecTV. The hero is described as a “Palestinian Jew” in the summary. Yeah, right.

    Report Post »  
  • SON OF JEFFERSON
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 9:56am

    Their will be peace when the arabs begin to love their children more then they hate Jews, which will never happen to a people so engrossed in their cult religion.

    Report Post »  
    • mzk1
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:21am

      Prime Minister Golda Meir (Golda Meyerson of Milwalkie, WI), first part of the quote.

      Report Post »  
    • mikelivi
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 2:19pm

      actually there will only be peace on earth when all muslims are exposed for what they are, a cult! Until they are gone there will never be peace! Stop trying to appease them, rationalize with them, its impossible. Christians love life, muslims love death! There is nothing else to know or understand.

      Report Post »  
  • fuzzy20841
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 9:44am

    You can bet that somewhere, either at the UN or in Hilary’s mind there is a scheme.a foot to seize the coin and return it to the Palestinians. After all this would fit in with NASA’s attempt to highlight Muslim contributions to the “Space Race” Manufactured history!

    Report Post »  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 9:33am

    It figures, the so called Palestinians are trying to claim all of Israel. Why not claim their history as well?

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • mzk1
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:31am

      I think they now claim a history of 7,000 or 9,000 years or something. And they not only deny the first temple, but the second.

      This would be like Americans (non-Indian) claiming that they were there for 10,000 years.

      Report Post »  
  • littlefish
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 9:14am

    Is Eric Holder somehow going to get involved in this one too . . . . ?

    He seems to have his stinkin nose everywhere it doesn’t belong . . .

    Report Post » littlefish  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:31am

      God, I hope not. He would likely Fluke up the situation by confiscating the coin and send it to the Hamas.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • Watchyer6
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 9:06am

    Israel has always been the home of the Jews, and God willing, always will be.

    Report Post » Watchyer6  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:52am

    Sand Arabs were not creators. They roamed the area, but never had the capability to cast silver. They traded in goats.
    It is like watching an old Star Trek, where Checkov claim’s mother Russia inwented all sorts of advancements.

    Report Post » 13th Imam  
  • The Gooch
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:13am

    Ya know, I didn’t even bother to finish reading this article as is it is the same old tired song and dance. Hell, you’re dealing with opposing religions. One is a bastardized form of the other that laughably attempts to assert it has been in existence since the days of the Old Testament. Not so much.
    In order for Islam to be ultimately validated, it must “kill the father” (i.e., exterminate Judaism). Islam must steal not only God, but history. Oh, and the money, both contempoary and ancient. Ri-damn-diculous. And yet childish greed will be defended by apologists and enablers who demand complicity and ignorance.

    Report Post »  
  • robor
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:03am

    Jesus was a Palestinian? Jesus would be proud!! You think?

    Report Post »  
    • Atilla
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:39am

      There is no such thing as a “Palistinian.”

      Report Post »  
  • GUYFROMMAINE
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:55am

    Wait a minute….. If the “Palestinians” are claiming the coin is palestinian, and it has Hebrew writing and symbols, wouldn’t that make the Jews “Palestinians?“ And if they are ”Palestinians,” I guess they are on the land that is and has been theirs since God gave it to them. So what are these Muslims complaining about? The real “Palestinians” (Jews) are where they belong.

    Report Post »  
    • The Gooch
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 8:40am

      While your effort at using a logic argument (the favorite tool of many leftists and nihilists) is comendable, the typical reaction from the apologists and enablers will amount to two simple phrases: “Shut up.“ and ”You’re stupid.”
      Hell, I’d advise you not to use this filthy shucking and jiving reasoning. I’d suspect it sullies you. No need to stoop to the level of idiot activists, apologists and enablers. Historical facts will do nicely. One thing is for sure: There were no modern Palestinians (a.k.a., Muslims) in the region known as Palestine (redefined over millenia by different cultures and religions) until the 7th Century. If this coin is from the First Century, modern Palestinians who define themselves by their allegiance to Islam have NO claim to it. Straight up revisionist history.

      Report Post »  
    • mzk1
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:28am

      Of course, we are Palestinian Jews. Menachem Begin made this point to Barbara Wlaters, to her dismay. My aunt (now in Queens) has “Palestine” on her birth certificate; she was born in Tel Aviv under the Briitsh Mandate. Note how the entry “Palestinian Jews” in Wikipedia tries to rob Jews of their birthright.

      Report Post »  
    • GUYFROMMAINE
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 2:44pm

      @ The Gooch
      Just to be clear, I was being sarcastic to a point. I do believe there are no such people as Palestinians. I see all these Muslims are doing is hiding behind an excuse to wipe out a nation of people they hate. At the same time, isn’t it funny how you could use their own lies against them?

      Report Post »  
  • wkw58
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:39am

    For the Palestinians to lay claim to this coin is absurd.

    Report Post » wkw58  
    • Capitalist Mama
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:18am

      For the Palestinians to lay claim to Palestine is absurd. Also claiming refugee status is absurd.

      Report Post »  
  • Ruler4You
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:31am

    Oh, yeah, the Shekel “IS” a Palestinian heritage item… LOL! What clowns! these Palestinians.

    Report Post » Ruler4You  
  • Ron Staiger
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:25am

    Palestinians are the decendants of Christians and Jews of the southern Levant. “Palestine” is an illusion created by some have-nots who want it all. If they want a valuable coin, let them dig in the desert for it!

    Report Post »  
  • LouC57
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:19am

    No such thing as Palestinians or Palestine.

    LOVE digging stuff up, wish I’d found that shekel!

    Report Post »  
  • hillbillyinny
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:13am

    Looking at these is like looking at history! It’s interestiing to me that the rest of the world accepts or chooses NOT to accept history, while tribal peoples somewhat isolated in their own world not knowing what truly came before them, or if competitive in the world at one time have since embraced a revisionist history, refused to realize that the world is a big and old place.

    Much of Muslin’s “history” is based on what their fairly illiterate founder had learned as a teenage and young adult form his Jewish and Christian neighbors where he lived. So many of the “Biblical type” stories in the Koran are perversions of Jewish and Christian Biblical stories.

    Even their endtimes senario, mirrows what several book of the Bible explain are to come, but their version is a type of “opposite” of what Old Testament and New Testament writing explain are to come. The difference is that was is “good” in the Bible has been turned to “evil” in the Koran many times.

    The Bible tells us, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” Isaiah 5:30

    Report Post »  
  • jcizarter
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:10am

    These Plastic stinkians not only lie to others, but they end up lying to themselves and believing it. It is very sad and stupid.

    Report Post » jcizarter  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 7:09am

    .
    Like the Palestinians need another reason to “Chunk” Rocks……..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • grudgywoof
    Posted on March 13, 2012 at 6:53am

    Anything the Jews have or do the Palestinas covent it to the point of hatred.

    Report Post » grudgywoof  
    • lynnissmart
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 9:24am

      I agree with you 100%……

      Report Post »  
    • mzk1
      Posted on March 13, 2012 at 10:23am

      They recently declared the Tomb of Rachel near Bethlehem is a Mulslim site. Also claimed a major church in Jerusalem.

      Report Post »  
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