In April–July 2015, a trial excavation was conducted along the northern shoulder of the main Jerusalem–Tel Aviv road (Highway 1) east of Moshav Bet Neqofa (Permit No. A-7398; map ref. 212578–618/634276–307; Fig. 1), prior to widening the road. The excavation, undertaken on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and funded by the Netivei Israel – National Transport Infrastructure Company, was directed by A. Landes-Nagar, with the assistance of N. Nehama (administration), E. Marco, N. German and N. Ben-Ari (antiquities inspection), A. Hajian, M. Kunin and M. Kahan (surveying and drafting), A. Peretz and Y. Yolovitch (field photography), Griffin Company (aerial photography), D. Sandhaus (pottery), T. Gonen (pottery restoration), A. Gyrman Levanon (digital pottery documentation), N. Katsnelson (glass), I. Reznitsky and L. Kupershmidt (metallurgical laboratory), Y. Spez (numismatics), Z. Matskevich (flints), Y. Nagar (physical anthropology), D. Gazit and C. Amit (studio photography), A. Lidsky-Reznikov (bead drawing), L. Di Segni (church identification from historical sources), N. Zak, E. Belashov, R. Brin and I.E. Delerson (plans), M. Kahan (digital reconstruction of church), B. Storchan (scientific consultation) and laborers from East Jerusalem.
Annette Landes-Nagar (2022) studied this question.