The World Archaeological Congress (WAC) wishes to inform its members, participants of WAC-10, and the wider public that, at its meeting of 21 June 2025, the WAC Council resolved to exclude from WAC-10 participation the scholar affiliated with Ariel University, an institution located within an Israeli settlement in the occupied Palestinian territory (West Bank).
This decision was made after careful consideration of international legal obligations, WAC’s ethical commitments, and previously adopted WAC resolutions. The Council found that:
- Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including the settlement of Ariel, are illegal under international law, as affirmed by Article 49(6) of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949), the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion (2004), and UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016);
- Ariel University, by virtue of being situated in an illegal settlement, is itself an illegal institution under international law;
- Archaeological excavations conducted in occupied territories in violation of The Hague Regulations (1907), the 1954 Hague Convention, and the Second Protocol (1999) to the Hague Convention, further contravene international legal standards protecting cultural heritage;
- Participation of scholars affiliated with such institutions in WAC activities would risk breaching the principle of non-recognition of unlawful situations, a principle binding under international law.
- The Council also recalled WAC’s own longstanding positions, including:
- Resolution 9 (WAC-7, Dead Sea) and Resolution 13 (WAC-8, Kyoto), which condemn archaeological activities conducted in occupied Palestinian territories and call upon archaeologists to refrain from complicity in such violations; and
- Article 6 of the WAC Dead Sea Accord, which states:
“Considering Article 9 of the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, WAC calls on all States and non-state actors, as well as its membership, to refrain from archaeological excavation in occupied territory, save where this is strictly required to safeguard, record or preserve cultural heritage, and to refrain from any change to or use of cultural heritage which is intended to conceal or destroy cultural, historical or scientific evidence.”
In line with these ethical and legal obligations, the Council has determined that participation by Ariel University or its affiliates in WAC-10 would be incompatible with WAC’s foundational principles and with international legal norms.
The World Archaeological Congress reaffirms its commitment to ethical, inclusive, and legally responsible archaeological practice, and stands in solidarity with all communities whose cultural heritage and rights are threatened by occupation and conflict.
Koji Mizoguchi
President of the World Archaeological Congress
On behalf of the Council
CONTACT PERSON: Professor Koji Mizoguchi (WAC President) Kyushu University Faculty of Social and Cultural Studies 744 Moto’oka, Nishi Ward Fukuoka 819-0395, JAPAN Email: mizog@scs.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Background information
The World Archaeological Congress, with members in more than 90 countries, is the only fully international and representative organisation of practicing archaeologists. WAC’s mission is to (1) promote professional training for disadvantaged nations and communities; (2) broaden public education, involving national and international communities in archaeological research; (3) develop archaeological practice so that it empowers Indigenous and minority groups; (4) contribute to the conservation of archaeological sites threatened by looting, urban growth, tourism, development or war; and (5) re-dress global inequities amongst archaeologists.