Catching the vehicles before construction started likely prevented damage from being done to the current and future archaeological findings.
The failure of the Bar Kochba revolt was a turning point in the Jewish understanding of redemption.
Not only was there never a nation of 'Palestine, but there was never even a country, territory, or a single province of 'Palestine' even remotely similar in its geography to modern Israel.
"No civilized person in the world can claim Temple denial or lack of a Jewish link to Jerusalem."