Israel Turns Archaeology Into a Tool for West Bank Land Seizures

Israel’s push to preserve archaeological sites in the occupied West Bank is drawing accusations that heritage protection is being used to justify wider seizures of Palestinian land.

The dispute is most acute in Sebastia, where Israeli authorities earlier this year issued an order to expropriate more than 2,000 dunams, or 200 hectares, around the hilltop archaeological site.

The order, now frozen by Israel’s top court after an appeal by residents, includes farmland cultivated by Palestinian families for generations.

Zaid Azhari, a heritage researcher and local council member, is among those whose olive groves fall inside the proposed seizure zone.

“I feel like families when they lose one of their children,” Azhari told the Financial Times. “It’s not just about losing financial income. It’s about being part of the land, belonging to the land.”

Preservation or Control

Israeli authorities say the land is needed to preserve and develop Sebastia.

Archaeologists identify the site with Samaria, once the capital of the biblical Israelite kingdom. The area also contains remains from Hellenic, Roman, Byzantine and Muslim periods.

The Civil Administration, the Israeli body responsible for civilian affairs in parts of the West Bank, has called the expropriation temporary and said it is intended to preserve, restore and safeguard the site.

Critics say the order extends well beyond the archaeological remains and represents the largest antiquities-related land seizure in the West Bank since Israel occupied the territory in 1967.

“The order is not justified: not legally, not professionally, not ethically,” said Alon Arad, head of Israeli heritage group Emek Shaveh.

“This expropriation shows more than anything the weaponization of heritage and archaeology.”

Wider Archaeology Push

Israel has used land expropriation for archaeological purposes since the 1980s, but analysts say the policy has expanded under Benjamin Netanyahu’s government since he took office in 2022.

Land has also been seized around Herodium, near Jerusalem, and in Nabi Samwil, a Palestinian village containing a site believed to be the tomb of the prophet Samuel.

Israel has also given the Civil Administration’s archaeology unit authority to operate in areas nominally administered by the Palestinian Authority.

Last month, it allocated 113 million shekels, or $37 million, to develop 70 archaeological sites across the West Bank.

“Under this government (archaeology) has become a dominant tool in the annexation of the West Bank,” said Yonatan Mizrachi of Israeli rights group Peace Now.

Israeli officials reject that characterization and say the measures are designed to protect heritage.

Sebastia Under Pressure

For Sebastia, the consequences could be substantial.

Mayor Mohammed Azem said the latest order, combined with previously confiscated areas, covers 55% of the town’s land.

About 560 families own plots affected by the planned seizure, he said, including land containing more than 6,000 olive trees.

The economic pressure has intensified since the start of the Gaza war in 2023. Tourist visits have collapsed, while settler violence has prevented some residents from reaching agricultural land.

At the archaeological site, the impact is visible. The parking lot is largely empty, most cafés are closed, and one of two souvenir shops has shut.

“The economic situation is zero. Absolute zero,” said café owner Nayef Akel.

UNESCO Raises Stakes

The Palestinian Authority has long sought World Heritage status for Sebastia, arguing that international recognition could help protect the site.

UNESCO added Sebastia to its World Heritage list in July and also placed it on its list of sites “in danger,” citing Israel’s expropriation plans.

Palestinian officials hope the decision may increase pressure on Israel to reconsider.

Israeli officials have shown little sign of changing course.

Foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar criticized the UNESCO decision, saying: “No vote in an international organization can change history.”

For Azhari, the archaeological dispute reflects a broader reality.

“It’s finished. This is the annexation,” he said.