Border Police discover Second Temple-period burial cave during operations in east Jerusalem

Border Police officers operating in east Jerusalem's Silwan neighborhood have uncovered an ancient burial cave dating back to the Second Temple period. The discovery was made beneath a building during ongoing police operations.

The find emerged as police were investigating a violent clash between two feuding families in Silwan over the weekend, an incident that led to the deaths of three individuals. One person died in the clash, while two others were shot by police after allegedly posing threats with blunt instruments, blades, and Molotov cocktails.

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) was alerted and dispatched personnel to survey the site. Preliminary assessments by the IAA indicate the burials and other artifacts found within the cave originate from the Second Temple period, which spans from 516 BCE to 70 CE.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir commented on the incident, criticizing media reports that he claimed mischaracterized the deaths. He specifically addressed the narrative surrounding the two individuals shot by police, stating that they were "throwing stones and Molotov cocktails" and were neutralized by officers, contrasting this with media portrayals of "three murdered."

“

So here it is: All night long the left-wing media reported on 'three murdered,' cried about 'bodies piling up at the police station,' and asked, 'Where are the police?' And the truth? Two of them threw stones and Molotov cocktails and were shot by our heroic police officers during the incident! This is exactly the mind games I was talking about.