Israel approves funding to take control of more than 70 West Bank heritage sites

Israel has approved 113 million shekels, or about $37m, to take control of more than 70 historical sites across the occupied West Bank. The allocation was announced by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and approved by a government steering committee on Tuesday. It comes alongside separate funding approved the same day for the Settlements Ministry.

Sponsored

The committee said the ministry will receive 157 million shekels in direct funding and a further 142 million shekels in commitment authorisations. On the same day, the Knesset Finance Committee separately approved close to 300 million shekels in direct funding and commitments for the Settlements Ministry. Smotrich said the plan would support new visitor centres and research facilities, describing it as a Zionist act of the highest order.

The move builds on a 250 million shekel plan approved in May that aimed to claim archaeological sites across the West Bank, the Jordan Valley and other areas. Palestinian media reported that Solomon's Pools near Bethlehem may be among the sites targeted, although Smotrich did not name specific locations. The occupied West Bank contains thousands of archaeological and heritage sites, some dating back hundreds of years, and the latest funding expands a policy that links heritage management with state control over territory.

The decision is significant because Israel designates the sites as Jewish heritage locations while Palestinians view such measures as part of a wider effort to extend control over land and property in the occupied West Bank. The territory has long been central to disputes over sovereignty, settlements and access to historic places. Funding for settlement-related projects has continued despite international criticism of Israeli settlement expansion in the area.

Sponsored

Smotrich said about 104 settlements and 160 outposts have been approved in the occupied West Bank since 2022. The settlements are considered illegal under international law. The new allocation also comes amid what Palestinian media described as an intensified campaign of settler violence, with more than 11,000 settler and military attacks reported across the region so far this year.

What remains unclear is which specific sites will be brought under the new funding programme and how quickly the plans will be implemented. It is also not clear whether Solomon's Pools will be formally included. The next developments to watch are any further government statements, site-specific announcements and reactions from Palestinian officials and international actors.

#Israel #WestBank #settlements #heritagesites #BezalelSmotrich