Key Players

• The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA)

  The IAA is responsible for preserving antiquities in Israel, declaring sites, and managing the preservation of archaeological artifacts. It conducts approximately 90% of archaeological digs in Israel and nearly all the excavations in East Jerusalem. The IAA retains the authority to determine whether construction may be carried out on a declared antiquities site and under which conditions. The IAA is the executive body, the (excavation) supervisor, and the decision maker regarding all antiquity-related matters.

• The Israel Nature and Parks Authority

  The Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) is a governmental body under the auspices of the Ministry for Environmental Protection. It is responsible for protecting and managing national parks which include nature reserves and heritage sites. In 1974, Jerusalem’s Historic Basin was declared a national park, called ‘the Jerusalem Walls National Park’.

• The Ir David (Elad) Foundation

  The Elad Foundation is a private organization that works toward the settlement of Jews in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan. In parallel, it initiates excavations and operates tourist sites including the City of David National Park and the Davidson Center archaeological park. Through touristic activities, the foundation is expanding the settlement in Silwan and works to shape a predominantly Jewish narrative for the area.

• The Western Wall Heritage Foundation

  A governmental foundation established for the purpose of  developing and managing the conservation and maintenance work at the Western Wall and the Western Wall Plaza as well as managing  the Western Wall tunnel excavations. The foundation is headed by the Western Wall Rabbi and comes under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office. It conducts tours of the Western Wall Tunnels for the general public, student groups and soldiers.

• The Islamic Waqf

  The Islamic Waqf (religious trust) has been responsible for administering the Temple Mount/Haram a-Sharif for hundreds of years and is responsible for religious and civil arrangements practiced on site. For the past century, the Waqf has come under the auspices of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s Ministry of Endowments. After Israel conquered East Jerusalem in 1967, it allowed the Waqf to retain its role. This arrangement was ratified as part of the peace agreement with Jordan 1993.

• The Jerusalem Development Authority (JDA)

  A statutory corporation with the purpose of initiating, planning, and advancing Jerusalem’s economic development. The JDA is responsible for coordinating development projects across various government authorities and other bodies involved in the city’s development. The majority of the JDA’s budget comes directly from the Israeli government.

• Company for the Development of the Jewish Quarter

  The Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem is a governmental company owned by the Ministry of Housing and the Jerusalem Municipality which was established to restore and develop the Jewish Quarter as a national, religious, historic, and cultural site. The company is responsible for developing and managing public archaeological sites.

• The Israel Police

  According to the status quo formulated in 1967, Israel has overall sovereignty over the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. As such, the Israeli police is responsible for the entrances to the compound and the overall security as well as for maintaining the status quo on the Mount which stipulates that Jews are not permitted to pray within the compound.