The research conducted by a pair of Los
Angeles archaeologists may lead to developments in an
unlikely aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ray Boytner, director of international research at the
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA, and Lynn Swartz Dodd, a lecturer in
religious studies and curator of the University
of Southern California’s
Archaeological Research Collection, have for the past five years worked with
Palestinian and Israeli researchers to establish a coherent agreement on the
disposition of the region’s archeological possessions.

“Israelis and Palestinians never previously had sat down to
achieve a structured, balanced agreement to govern the region’s archaeological
heritage,” Dodd said. “Our group got together with the vision of a future when
people wouldn’t be at each other’s throats and archaeology would need to be
protected, irrespective of which side of the border it falls on.”

Dodd said that the process of separating archaeological
treasures between the two regions was a difficult undertaking.

“We’re talking about putting your precious archaeological
heritage — things you believe your ancestors created — in the hands of what you
now consider to be your enemy,” Dodd said. “We’re asking enemies to become
partners.”

Boytner added, however, that the project’s achievements
would potentially ease tensions over the establishment of an autonomous Palestinian
state.

“According to international law, if there is a future
Palestinian state, the Israelis will have to return all archaeological
artifacts to the Palestinian state,” Boytner said. “That, for the [Israeli]
right wing, would be a major rallying point to oppose the peace process.
Therefore, archaeology could be a deal-breaker in future peace negotiations.
But if we can deal with archaeology, we can help create a stable peace process
that will be respected by both sides for years to come.”