In brief
A sprawling march of expropriation has begun above the Roman columns of Sebastia in the West Bank, with Israeli authorities asserting that the land will form a new national park. Palestinian families, led by landowner Abu Mudif, say the seizure is a form of forced displacement that erases their heritage. The move has drawn criticism from Unesco, which placed Sebastia on its list of sites in danger, and has also prompted similar expropriations at sites like Herodium. Local activists argue that the justification of archaeology is masking a larger aim of securing territorial control for Israeli settlers.
Israel’s new archaeological mandate begins with a claim that the 450 acres of olive fields overlooking Sebastia’s Roman ruins belong to a national park project. The Israeli Civil Administration says the land will be used for a training ground for visitors, while Palestinian landowners have little comment. They demand no payment, viewing the move as ceding authority over their patrimony.
A Palestinian landowner, Abu Mudif, described the effect of the seizure as a soul being etched away. He insists: ‘If I wanted to say it, the closest description I can give is that it is like having your soul ripped away. I cannot imagine myself without my land.’ The project also threatens Nahed Sakha’s local restaurant, which could be demolished if the expropriated territory is leased to Israeli settlements.
Meanwhile, Unesco declared Sebastia a UNESCO‑listed site and placed it on its list of sites in danger, citing the planned land expropriation as a direct threat to the site’s heritage. The loss of heritage for Palestinians feels loss of identity. Protestors in the village of Sebastia say they fear that their close relation with the ruins will be lost, a sentiment echoed across the West Bank.
Across the region, Israeli authorities have also seized nearly 80 acres of land at Herodium, near Jerusalem, claiming it for “preservation and development.” Rights groups argue the primary purpose is a direct route toward settlement expansion, which clashes with international law. The Israeli government argues that all Palestinians and Israelis can benefit from the site, but the real intent appears to be a set‑up to secure territorial control.
Experts such as Israeli activist Alon Arad point out that archaeology is used to rewrite history and to override local ownership, turning cultural heritage into a political tool. His protests come at a time when a draft law to hand archaeological control to the Israeli heritage ministry could give the state additional powers, though its future remains uncertain.
In sum, the West Bank’s ancient heritage sites are being weaponised for national park narratives, threatening real lives, heritage and the daily realities of more than a decade’s worth of Palestinian families tied to their land. International organisations and activists are calling for an urgent halt to the expropriation, but the so‑called “national park” drive continues to press forward.
