Key facts
- An Israeli bill to extend civil control over ancient sites in the West Bank has passed one parliamentary vote.
- The legislation would transfer management of historical sites to the Israeli Ministry of Heritage.
- Critics argue the bill constitutes annexation of occupied land and facilitates settlement expansion.
- The Palestinian Authority currently exercises limited oversight over these sites under the Oslo Accords.
- The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities has urged the bill's cancellation, citing potential damage to international relations.
An Israeli bill that would extend civil control over ancient sites in the West Bank has drawn criticism from Palestinians and Israeli rights groups, who argue it amounts to annexation of occupied land and would expand Jewish settlements.
The "Heritage Authority in Judea and Samaria" bill passed one of three votes in Israel's parliament in May, though its final passage before an expected October election is uncertain. The legislation would place the management of Roman, Byzantine, and Crusader-era sites under the Israeli Ministry of Heritage, allowing for the expropriation and purchase of real estate in the West Bank. This would effectively remove oversight from the Palestinian Authority, which currently exercises limited self-rule in parts of the territory captured by Israel in 1967.
Palestinian Authority tourism minister Hani Al-Hayek stated that control over these antiquities is intended to expand settlements deep inside Palestinian territories. Peace Now, an Israeli settlements watchdog, described the bill as an "annexationist measure" that would lead to broad-scale confiscation of Palestinian land, noting that using archaeology to expand settlements is an unprecedented practice by the Israeli government.
Residents of Sebastia, a village near an ancient archaeological site, rely on tourism, which has suffered since late 2023 due to regional conflict. Sebastia Deputy Mayor Nizar Kayed said the plan to seize land, which includes water resources and antiquities, would leave residents without resources and is part of settlement expansion. Restaurant owner Nahed Sakha believes the Israeli plan aims to isolate the archaeological site from the local population.
Israeli lawmaker Zvi Sukkot, a member of the pro-settler Religious Zionism party, contends that extending Israeli control over the sites is meant to safeguard ancient remnants and prove the historical ties between Israelis and the land, stating it does not change the legal status of the West Bank. However, the bill has also raised concerns among legal officials and scientists within Israel. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities has called for the bill's cancellation, warning of immediate deterioration in Israel's international relations in archaeology and other scientific fields.