Coin used by Netanyahu for justifying WB settlement turned fake

A 2,000-year-old coin promoted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as proof of the Jewish people's connection to the Israeli-controlled West Bank has been found to be a souvenir reproduction.

"This exciting discovery is additional evidence of the deep connection between the people of Israel and its land," Netanyahu said of the coin on Facebook Sunday.

The coin was found by an 8-year-old girl near the Israeli settlement of Neveh Tzuf in the West Bank in May. The supposed discovery garnered attention in Israeli media last week.

The post was deleted on Monday from Netanyahu's Facebook page.