A contentious struggle for control is unfolding across ancient sites in the occupied West Bank, with mounting allegations that Israel is strategically weaponizing West Bank archaeology to cement its presence and take possession of Palestinian land. The issue, steeped in history and fiercely contested, is drawing international scrutiny and igniting deeply personal anguish among affected communities.
High above the majestic Roman columns of Sebastia, an ancient site of immense historical resonance, lie sprawling olive fields. These lands, cultivated for generations by Palestinian families, are now under threat. Abu Mudif, a landowner whose family has tended these groves for decades, recently received a chilling notification. His land, part of a vast 450-acre expanse, is slated for expropriation by Israeli authorities.
The stated purpose? To protect and develop the site into a significant new national park. Yet, for Palestinian landowners, such actions rarely entail fair compensation. Even when payment is offered, many refuse; accepting it would, in their eyes, legitimise the wrenching loss of their patrimony. “It is like having your soul ripped away,” Abu Mudif articulated, his voice heavy with despair. “I cannot imagine myself without my land.”
Nahed Sakha, who operates a local restaurant, also faces demolition threats. He contends the Israeli scheme aims to sever Palestinian residents’ connection to the archaeological site, a place that embraces millennia of history, including significant ancient Jewish remains alongside Roman, Crusader, and Ottoman traces. “Restoration work has now begun along with excavations,” he explained. “Landowners were told that no-one would be allowed to use or plough their land.”
The Battle Over West Bank Archaeology Intensifies
The anxieties echoing through Sebastia have resonated globally. The United Nations culture and education agency, UNESCO, has not only designated Sebastia a World Heritage Site but also, in an emergency procedure, added it to the List of World Heritage in Danger. UNESCO specifically cited the “planned expropriation and creation of the ‘Samaria’ (Shomron) national park” as a primary threat, warning it could irreparably divide the property.
Mohammed Azem, the village mayor, stands on a path that bisects the site, dividing Area B (Palestinian civil, Israeli security control) from Area C (full Israeli civil and security control). He gazes at rubbish in the ruins, concerned. Locals now hesitate to clean the area, fearing confrontations with Israeli security forces or settlers. Last week, Israel allocated a substantial 113 million shekels (£27.8m) towards expanding its oversight of archaeological sites throughout the West Bank. Some of these projects even extend into areas ostensibly administered by the Palestinian Authority, as noted by an Israeli government official.
Israeli activist Alon Arad, who leads Emek Shaveh, an organisation dedicated to ensuring the region’s ancient heritage benefits all communities, views these actions with profound concern. Speaking from the Roman theatre, he asserts that Israeli authorities have bypassed essential consultations with Sebastia’s local administration and residents. “Israel is not the owner of this place. This is a Palestinian heritage site,” Arad declared. “To develop it positively, it must be done with the local community, with the municipality, so they can benefit.” The proposed Israeli plans, for instance, would relocate Sebastia’s main entrance away from the village itself.
Palestinian tourism and foreign ministries hope UNESCO’s recognition will strengthen international support against these Israeli land seizures in Sebastia. However, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has framed UNESCO’s actions as a means to undermine historic Jewish connections to the West Bank. “No vote in an international organisation can change history,” he firmly stated.
Further south, near Jerusalem, lies Herodium, King Herod’s dramatic mountaintop palace. Here, too, approximately 80 acres of land are being expropriated by Israel, again under the guise of “preservation and development.” Peace Now, an Israeli organisation monitoring settlements, highlights a critical legal point: “Under international law, as well as according to rulings of the Israeli Supreme Court, Israel is prohibited from expropriating land for settlement purposes or exclusively for the benefit of Israeli citizens.” They argue that the state will likely contend the site serves both populations, despite its clear link to settlement expansion and Israeli control.
Shmuel Browns, an archaeologist and tour guide at Herodium, offers a different perspective. He believes it is crucial for Israeli archaeologists and officials to oversee and protect sites imbued with such deep historical and religious importance. “Israel feels responsible to look after the West Bank archaeology, the artifacts, the history of this land,” he explained.
Yet, a controversial bill, proposed by far-right members of Israel’s current government, sought to transfer control of archaeological sites from the military-controlled Civil Administration to the Israeli heritage ministry, granting sweeping powers for land seizure across the West Bank. Though it passed a first reading in May, the bill is now on hold due to upcoming elections, its future uncertain.
Back in Sebastia, Alon Arad’s warning resonates. The mere existence of such a bill, he argues, starkly illustrates how West Bank archaeology has been strategically weaponized. “You use archaeology… to rewrite history, but you also use it in order to allocate lands or reallocate lands from Palestinian to Israeli,” he cautioned. As excavations proceed and boundaries shift, Palestinian residents of Sebastia increasingly fear their profound, centuries-old connection to these ancient ruins is imperiled, fading with each new development.
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