Israel moves to expropriate land around Sebastia archaeological site in occupied West Bank
Israeli authorities are taking possession of about 450 acres of land around the ancient site of Sebastia in the occupied West Bank, according to local landowners and officials cited in the report. The move is being presented as part of a plan to protect and develop the area as a major new national park. It has triggered anger among Palestinian families who say the land has been cultivated for generations and that access is now being restricted.
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One landowner, Abu Mudif, said he received notification that his property was included in the tranche being expropriated. He said the loss went beyond income and described it as a deeply personal blow. Another local resident, Nahed Sakha, who owns a restaurant near the site, said the plan appeared designed to cut Palestinian residents off from the archaeological area.
The report says restoration work and excavations have already begun. Landowners were told that no one would be allowed to use or plough their land, adding to fears among residents that the expropriation will bring further disruption. Sakha also said his restaurant is under threat of demolition, underscoring the wider impact on local livelihoods and access around the site.
Sebastia is one of the most sensitive archaeological locations in the West Bank because it contains remains from multiple historical periods, including the ancient Jewish past, the Roman era, the Crusader period and the Ottoman period. That layered history makes the site significant both culturally and politically. In the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, control over land and heritage sites is often closely tied to questions of sovereignty, identity and long-term territorial claims.
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The report says UNESCO added Sebastia to its World Heritage List on 25 July through an emergency procedure. UNESCO has also placed the site on its List of World Heritage in Danger, saying the main threat is the planned expropriation and creation of the "Samaria" national park, which it says could divide the property. That designation adds international scrutiny to the Israeli plan and highlights concern that development work could alter access to, or the integrity of, the site.
For Palestinian families in the surrounding village, the issue is not only archaeological but economic. Olive fields around Sebastia have been cultivated for generations, and the land is described as a vital source of income. The report says Palestinian landowners typically receive little or no payment for such expropriations, and even when compensation is offered, many refuse it because they see acceptance as legitimising the loss of land they regard as patrimony.
The local reaction also reflects broader tensions over how archaeological sites are managed in occupied territory. Supporters of the plan say it is intended to protect and develop the site, while critics argue that it risks excluding Palestinian residents from land and heritage they have long used and maintained. The presence of a restaurant, olive groves and village access routes around the ruins shows how closely the site is tied to everyday life as well as to history.
What remains unclear is how quickly the expropriation will be implemented, whether compensation will be offered in practice, and how local residents may challenge the move. It is also not clear how the restoration and excavation work will proceed alongside the restrictions described by landowners. The next developments to watch are any formal response from Palestinian authorities, further UNESCO reaction, and whether demolition or access restrictions expand beyond the areas already identified.
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