During the Maccabean Revolt (167-160 BCE), the Jews liberated the Land of Israel from the rule of the Seleucid Greek empire, based in Syria. The revolt’s leaders, the Hasmonean family, thereafter established a new royal dynasty that governed Judea for over century. But in the decades after the revolt sporadic fighting with the Seleucids continued, including a battle in which the Hasmoneans destroyed a Greek settlement known as Tel Iztabba (or Ictaba). Judy Siegel-Itzkovich describes new discoveries at the site:

Until now, it has been suggested by archaeologists that the [battle of Tel Iztabba occurred] between 111 BCE and 107 BCE. But according to new Israeli-German research, based on the remains of chicken bones, snail shells, and plant remains—as well as written evidence—the year, as well as the exact season in which this occurred, has been determined.

Analyzing the archaeological finds revealed residues containing marrow that served to produce eggshells during the laying season in spring. This indicates that the chickens were slaughtered in spring. . . . Botanical examinations of the remnants of flowers on the floors of the dwellings reveal that these plants flowered in spring.

Analysis of the objects is always accompanied by analysis of written evidence: “The contemporary Hebrew scroll of M’gillat Ta’anit [the Scroll of the Fast] about the Hasmonean conquest . . . reports the expulsion of the inhabitants in the Hebrew month of Sivan, which corresponds to our May/June,” [the archaeologists explained].

This underlines previous findings on Hellenistic warfare, as military offensives usually took place in spring and early summer.

Putting the evidence together, the researchers concluded that the conquest took place in Sivan of 107 BCE.

Calling the proposal to depopulate Gaza completely (if temporarily) “unworkable,” Peter Berkowitz makes the case for a similar, but more feasible, plan:

The United States along with Saudi Arabia and the UAE should persuade Egypt by means of generous financial inducements to open the sparsely populated ten-to-fifteen miles of Sinai adjacent to Gaza to Palestinians seeking a fresh start and better life. Egypt would not absorb Gazans and make them citizens but rather move Gaza’s border . . . westward into Sinai. Fences would be erected along the new border. The Israel Defense Force would maintain border security on the Gaza-extension side, Egyptian forces on the other. Egypt might lease the land to the Palestinians for 75 years.

The Sinai option does not involve forced transfer of civilian populations, which the international laws of war bar. As the United States, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other partners build temporary dwellings and then apartment buildings and towns, they would provide bus service to the Gaza-extension. Palestinian families that choose to make the short trip would receive a key to a new residence and, say, $10,000.

The Sinai option is flawed. . . . Then again, all conventional options for rehabilitating and governing Gaza are terrible.