ISRAEL NATURE AND PARKS AUTHORITY
Division of Planning & Development - Department of Archaeology & Heritage
3 Am Ve’Olamo St., 95463 Jerusalem, ISRAEL, Tel. 972-2-5005425, Fax. 972-2-5014861
Mobile 050-5063188 e-mail:tsuk@npa.org.il
22/07/2012
Re.: Procedure for Applying for a Permit to Dig or
to Survey in a National Park / Nature Reserve
On February 15, 1998 a new authority was established merging the National Parks
Authority and the Nature Reserves Authority under the name The Nature and National
Parks Protection Authority.
The new act states as follows:
“A person shall not carry out any action damaging or which may damage a nature reserve or a national
park without a written permit from the Manager. In this respect “Damage” includes destruction, damage,
demolition, breaking, sabotage, writing, drawing or engraving on a real estate, posting a sign, causing
damage or nuisance to animals, grazing, cutting, picking, taking, changing the shape or the natural
position of fauna, flora or still objects, or interference with their breeding, and their on-going natural
development, changing the surface of the soil, including digging, erecting a building or structure,
introducing foreign material as well as dumping or leaving waste” (The National Parks, Nature Reserves,
National and Commemoration Sites Act, 1998 – The Code of Laws 1666, Paragraph 30).
Thus, to carry out an archeological excavation or survey in a national park or nature reserve, one must
receive a permit from the Director General.
One of the objectives of the Authority is to protect its assets, and in this case – the archaeological sites
within the premises of the National Parks and Nature Protection Authority. The excavation and its results
have major implications of the park / reserve and its surrounding and therefore, to receive a permit one
must comply with all the guidelines in the application for permit (attached hereby) and submit all the
required documents (submission of all documents is a precondition for receiving the permit.
The order of activities to follow is as follows:
1. Submitting application as specified in the document.
2. Evaluation of the application by the Authority’s district management and Science Division.
3. Tour of the site (if necessary) after submitting the application and before issuing the permit in which the
archeologist submitting the application, the Authority’s archeologist, and the district manager / the director
general of the Authority or the manager of the nature reserve or the regional ranger will take part. During
the tour, the archeologist submitting the application will indicate the excavation site and the topics entered
in the application for permit and the conditions of the excavations will be agreed upon.
4. The application with the conditions will be submitted to the managers of the Science Division and the
Planning and Development Division for issuing the excavation permit. The permit will include the
conditions of the excavation as per the Authority’s procedures and the specific agreement agreed upon in
the tour.
Sincerely yours
Dr. Tsvika Tsuk
Director - Department of Archaeology and Heritage
Division of Planning & Development
Cc. Shaul Goldshtein – Director General
ISRAEL NATURE AND PARKS AUTHORITY
Division of Planning & Development - Department of Archaeology & Heritage
3 Am Ve’Olamo St., 95463 Jerusalem, ISRAEL, Tel. 972-2-5005425, Fax. 972-2-5014861
Mobile 050-5063188 e-mail:tsuk@npa.org.il
Yuval Peled – Division Director
22/7/2012
To: The Nature and National Parks Protection Authority / The Science Division
Application for Permit for Archeological Excavation / Survey
In a National Park or Nature Reserve
1. The Applicant’s Name: ________________ I. D. # ____________ E. mail_____________________
Private address: _____________________ Postal Code: ______
Phone # __________ Fax # ___________ Cellular Phone # _________
2. Name of the excavating Institution: _________________
Address: _____________________ Postal Code: _______
Phone # __________ Fax # ___________
3. Site Name / Location ________________ Coordinates: ____________
4. Name of the Reserve / national park _______________
5. Type of tools the excavators intend to use: ________________
6. Intended excavation dates: ______________________
7. Number of the participants in the excavation _________
8. Accommodation place and telephone # during the excavation: ____________________
9. Attach to the application the following documents:
A. Background, objectives and plan of the excavation (abstract).
B. Concise report of the excavation of the previous season.
C. Detailed map of the site indicating the excavation areas, access roads, location of services, location of
dumping the dug material, and indication of any other physical change on and around the site.
D. Copy of the excavation permit of the Antiquities Authority.
E. Undertaking of the excavating institution indicating that it is responsible for insuring the excavation and
the excavators waiving any liability of the Authority for any damage that may stem from, during and/or
after the excavation.
F. Written undertaking and budget allocation for preserving the excavation area as per the requirements
issued to the excavator by the professional bodies of the Nature and National Parks Protection Authority
and/or the Antiquities Authority.
Date: ______________ Signature: ______________
To be filled by the Office:------------------------------------------------------------------------Opinion of the Science Division: _____________________________
Date: __________ Name: ________________ Signature: __________
Opinion of the District: _____________________________
Date: __________ Name: ________________ Signature: __________
ISRAEL NATURE AND PARKS AUTHORITY
Division of Planning & Development - Department of Archaeology & Heritage
3 Am Ve’Olamo St., 95463 Jerusalem, ISRAEL, Tel. 972-2-5005425, Fax. 972-2-5014861
Mobile 050-5063188 e-mail:tsuk@npa.org.il
22.07.2012
To:____________________________
Re: Insurance coverage during archaeological excavations and surveys
We would like to bring to your attention that the Israel Nature and Parks Authority has decided
to regulate the matter of insurance coverage during archaeological excavations and surveys
carried out at authority sites. Insurance coverage had been required in previous years (see Article
9e of the application for a permit to conduct archaeological excavations and surveys) but in
actually was not always enforced. Insurance is intended to protect against injury to
archaeologists excavating at a site. It is also intended to safeguard third parties who might be
injured as a result of excavations or as a result of damage that might occur at a later time.
Therefore, conscientious compliance with insurance requirements is for the protection all
concerned.
Attached please find a confirmation of insurance form to be completed by the company insuring
your dig. The form, signed by your insurance company, must be returned to the undersigned as
soon as possible.
If the required confirmation of insurance is not returned to the authority within a reasonable time
period, we will be obliged to take appropriate action.
If clarification is necessary regarding insurance requirements and/or the wording of the form,
authority staff together with its insurance people are at the disposal of archaeologists and
excavators. Please contact us as soon as possible so that the authority and the research teams can
examine each issue that may arise and cooperate to find a solution.
Sincerely,
Dr. Tsvika Tsuk
Director, Department of Archaeology and Heritage
Copies:
Mr. Yuval Peled – Director, Division of Planning & Development
Mr. Grossman Itzhak - Director, Division of Finance
ISRAEL NATURE AND PARKS AUTHORITY
Division of Planning & Development - Department of Archaeology & Heritage
3 Am Ve’Olamo St., 95463 Jerusalem, ISRAEL, Tel. 972-2-5005425, Fax. 972-2-5014861
Mobile 050-5063188 e-mail:tsuk@npa.org.il
Appendix – Confirmation of Cover
The Authority for Nature Preservation and National Parks (hereinafter “the Authority”)
Re:
Insurance Cover– Archaeological Excavations by ______________ (hereinafter “the
Archaeologist”) at the _____________ Nature Reserve/National Park (hereinafter “the
Site”)
This is to confirm that at the request of the Archaeologist/the Institute under the auspices of
which the Archaeologist is operating (hereinafter “the Institute”), we have arranged the
following insurance policies for the period from _______________ to ________________
(inclusive):
A. Third party liability Policy to cover the liability of the Archaeologist, the Institute and any
other person participating in the above archaeological excavation, caused at the Site during
the excavation period as a result of the activities conducted in connection with said the
excavations, with a limit of liability of $____________for any one occurrence and in the
aggregate for the policy.
This insurance is subject to the following terms and conditions:
(1) The insured under the policy includes the Archaeologist and/or the Institute, and the
Authority has been added therein as an additional insured in respect of its liability for any
act of the Archaeologist or any other person operating at the Site on his behalf.
(2) Null and void is any exclusion relating to liability which resulted from fire, explosion,
panic, lifting devices, loading and unloading, firearms of any kind, subsidence, removal
of support, excavations of any kind, research, contests and games, riots and strikes,
defective sanitary devices, poisoning, any injurious substance in food or beverage
supplied by the Archaeologist at the Site and claims by the National Insurance Institute.
(3) For the purpose of this cover any person which is not included in the Archaeologist’s or
the Institute’s payroll shall be deemed to be a third party. The above shall also apply to
volunteers and students.
(4) The policy shall cover the Archaeologist’s liability at the Site during the excavation
period, and if the excavations are scheduled for the next excavation period as well, the
cover will be extended to cover the above liability during the period in between such
periods, provided that the cover shall not apply beyond the end of the insurance period
specified above.
(5) The policy is subject to a Cross Liability Clause.
(6) The cover is extended to include liability incurred whilst conducting
archaeological surveys off marked or mapped trails, routes or areas.
B. Employers liability Policy to cover the liability of the Archaeologist and/or the Institute
toward any employee, at a limit of liability of $1.5 million any one occurrence and $5
millions in the aggregate for the insurance period.
This insurance is subject to the following terms and conditions:
(1) Null and void is any exclusion limiting the cover in respect of operations regarding
height or depth, subsidence, removal of support, excavations of any kind, research,
working hours, contractors and subcontractors and their employees, poison, bait,
firearms, contests and juvenile employment.
ISRAEL NATURE AND PARKS AUTHORITY
Division of Planning & Development - Department of Archaeology & Heritage
3 Am Ve’Olamo St., 95463 Jerusalem, ISRAEL, Tel. 972-2-5005425, Fax. 972-2-5014861
Mobile 050-5063188 e-mail:tsuk@npa.org.il
(2) The Authority shall be included as an additional insured under the policy, should it
deemed to be an employer of any of the workers employed by the Archaeologist of the
Institute.
C. Property Insurance Policy on a fire extended basis, to cover the equipment brought by the
Archaeologist of the Institute to the Site, for $ ________________.
D. Each of the above mentioned policies is subject to the following conditions:
(1) The cover therein shall be deemed to be primary, and will apply prior to any similar
insurance arranged by you or on your behalf. We hereby agree to waive, in case of a
claim, any demand for contribution from your policies.
(2) The cover shall not be restricted or altogether cancelled unless a written notice thereof
has been mailed to you by registered post.
(3) Any right of subrogation against the Authority or any party operating on its behalf is
hereby cancelled, but the foregoing shall not apply in favor of any person acting with a
malicious intent.
Subject to the terms and conditions of the policy, unless amended by the above.
Signature ________________________ Date ____________________________
Insurer’s name: ___________________ Signatory ______________________