Payment Ruling Halts Most Digs at Israeli Sites

JERUSALEM — Archeology, one of Israel’s biggest tourist attractions, suffered a blow Tuesday when most of the country’s excavations were shut down.

The Israel Antiquities Authority halted its salvage digs after the Supreme Court ruled that developers and building contractors cannot be billed for the costs of these excavations.

The antiquities authority carries out a salvage dig before most construction projects begin. In response to a petition from a developer, the Supreme Court ruled Sunday that the government, not the builder, must bear the costs of the salvage digs.

In response, the antiquities authority decided to halt all salvage digs, which account for about 300 of the 350 excavations carried out in Israel each year.