they have lived in the region for more than 2500 years. iraqis jews now just five individuals remain. in a deal signed in 2003 with the iraqi government, the items are shipped to washington, d.c., for preservation and digitizing. the arrangement required they be returned but i iraqi jews now living in the u.s., israel say the documents belong to them. >> since the items were taken at gunpoint, little bit like the property the nazis stole from the jews in the second world war. reporter: iraqi ambassador says they are part of iraq's heritage not just jewish heritage. >> for those historians or anthropologist, they will find this fascinating. give you a different perspective from the standard analysis. the document states that was