The IAA closely follows detailed regulations concerning excavtions of tombs and the bones exposed therein. All the skeletal remains discovered in IAA rescue excavations are delivered to the Ministry of Religious Affairs for reburial as early as possible. Chance finds occur very often. Thousands of burials are discovered each year in the course of licensed rescue excavations. Data is recorded, studied and later published in detailed excavation reports, as required by law.
Rescue excavations bring to light anthropological, archaeological and historical data.
Bones, if found, are properly reburied by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The only alternative to scientific excavations is the total destruction of the burial sites by development and construction works. Ancient burial sites attract robbers, as chances are good for finding aluable burial objects. Tombsites that had been plundered by robbers are occasionally excavated by the IAA in order to document and rescue whatever is left. It is ironic that many of the homes of these violent demonstrators are built atop vast burial grounds, including the Sanhedria neighborhood in Jerusalem, areas of Bnai Brak and the new Mazor neighborhood.