The Department of Palestinian Antiquities has disclosed that about 100,000 Palestinian Antique Pieces are smuggled to Israel annually. Informed sources said the smuggling of Antique Pieces takes place through mediators from the occupied Palestinian territories and the neighboring countries. Hamdan Taha, the Assistant Under Secretary of the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, said about 85 percent of the Palestinian Antiquities are smuggled to Israel, adding that about 100,000 Antique Pieces are smuggled from the Palestinian territories to Israel annually. He severely criticized trading in the cultural heritage of the Palestinians.