In brief
At the historic site of Sebastia, Israeli authorities are declaring the need to create a national park and in doing so have begun to seize around 450 acres of olive fields owned by Palestinian families. Local landowners, including Abu Mudif, have voiced that accepting compensation would legitimize loss of their heritage, and many refuse offers. Palestinian activists and UN officials have warned that the planned expropriation and new park boundaries are a means to sequester lands for Israeli control under the pretense of archaeological preservation. The situation has drawn criticism from the international community and highlights the broader struggle over heritage rights in the West Bank.
High above the Roman columns at the ancient site of Sebastia, proud olive groves that have fed Palestinian families for generations are now caught in a tug‑of‑war. Israeli authorities claim the need to protect and develop the area as a “national park” and have announced plans to take control of roughly 450 acres of farmland that belongs to local land owners.
Abu Mudif, a farmer in the village, says: “If I told it away, I would be handing over a part of my soul. I cannot see myself without the place I grew up on.”
The move comes after UNESCO added Sebastia to its World Heritage list and later declared the site in danger, citing the threat of land seizures and altered access routes. The new Israeli plan would shift the main entrance to the far side of the ruins, effectively distancing local residents from the archaeological centre.
Palestinian activists say the expropriation plan is a pretext for the “weaponisation” of heritage. They argue that the authorities use archaeology as a narrative device while the underlying motive is to consolidate Israeli control over the West Bank.
The situation is mirrored at other sites such as Herodium, where Israel has also begun to reserve archaeological lands for preservation but the underlying goal is seen by critics as settlement expansion. International bodies have cautioned that international law bars land seizures that serve only Israeli citizens, and Israeli officials deny the allegations, asserting their responsibility to protect the region’s historical heritage.
The controversy over Sebastia underscores the tension between heritage preservation and territorial claims in the West Bank, with local Palestinian communities facing loss of access, livelihood, and cultural continuity.
