Gravestone set on previously desecrated ancient Maccabean burial site

A gravestone was set on a desecrated and restored Maccabean burial site in a ceremony on Monday, the fifth night of Hanukkah, the Regavim NGO announced on Facebook.The ceremony was attended by Religious Services Minister Ya’akov Avitan who posted pictures from the ceremony on Facebook. "I would like to especially thank the head of the Binyamin Regional Council Israel Gantz and all who helped with this holy work," said Avitan. The burial site, near Jericho, was desecrated last year when grave robbers dug into the site leaving human bones scattered and in the open, according to Regavim. The site was robbed after local construction left it exposed and after hikers happen on the looted site, it was restored last year.

בימים ההם בזמן הזה:ביום שני, נר חמישי של חנוכה - טקס גילוי מצבה לעצמות היהודים המחוללות מתקופת החשמונאים.בשנה שעברה חשפנו מקרה מזעזע בו השחיתו שודדי עתיקות פלסטינים מערת קבורה עתיקה בסמוך לאתר ארמונות החשמונאים ביריחו, גנבו עתיקות מהמקום וחיללו את עצמות הכהנים מימי הבית השני>> https://t.co/5bnWSNzZHn

— תנועת רגבים (@TnuatRegavim) December 10, 2020

The burial site from the time of the Second Temple, according to Regavim. Regavim is a Zionist movement founded in order to lead the setting of a Jewish, Zionist agenda for Israel on the topic of land, according to the organization's website. The NGO seeks to guard the land of the Jewish people and its "natural treasures and views of the land of Israel and to prevent the take over by foreign elements of these resources."