in April 2017, the Sifting Project withdrew its partnership with the Ir David Foundation and discontinued active sifting, focusing instead on laboratory research of artifacts already recovered. The Sifting Project has held several Crowdfunding campaigns, and as of December 2018, has enough funds to keep afloat, but not enough to complete all research nor to resume the sifting, which has continued sporadically. and a public commitment by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to provide government backing for the Project, has yet to bear fruit. The Ir David Foundation retains the former sifting site of the project in Emek Tzurim and runs there an Archaeological Experience, where visitors sift soil from various excavations in Jerusalem. Active sifting of Temple Mount soil resumed in June 2019, in a new site atop Mount Scopus .