By Taghreed Saadeh
The town of Sebastia, located northwest of Nablus, faces an escalating existential threat as the Israeli occupation intensifies its policies aimed at Judaizing the area and stealing its historical heritage. In a dangerous new move, Israeli authorities recently posted notices declaring large swaths of the town’s land to be designated as an “Israeli archaeological site” — one of the most serious steps yet in the annexation and erasure of the town’s Palestinian identity.
Mohammad Azem, Mayor of Sebastia, confirmed that the Israeli decision targets 1,775 dunums of land , nearly a third of the town’s total area. He described the move as an extension of the so-called “Samaria Park” settlement plan, which aims to take over the historic heart of Sebastia and represents a flagrant assault on the rights of its residents and the deeply rooted cultural heritage of Palestine.
Azem told the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) that this act constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law, especially the 1954 Hague Convention and the 1972 UNESCO Convention , both of which guarantee the protection of cultural heritage in occupied territories. He warned that implementation of the decision would prevent residents from accessing their lands and ban agriculture, construction, and all forms of economic or tourism activity, effectively imposing forced displacement through economic strangulation.
Azem called on the international community, particularly UNESCO, to urgently intervene and halt this dangerous measure. He demanded accountability for Israel’s colonial practices that target Palestinian cultural and human existence, stressing that defending Sebastia is a defense of justice, history, and Palestine’s civilizational identity.
This move follows a recent proposal by Likud Knesset member Amit Halevi to transfer control of archaeological sites in the occupied West Bank to Israel’s Antiquities Authority, based on fabricated historical claims. The bill was referred to the Education and Culture Committee, signaling its advancement toward implementation — now seen in Sebastia.
Dirgham Al Fares, Director of Tourism and Antiquities in Nablus, said the Israeli declaration was the most dangerous to date, as it subjects Palestinian lands to full Israeli jurisdiction, creating severe restrictions on Palestinians’ ability to access or use their own property.
Al Fares added that the plan isn’t limited to Sebastia. It also targets the nearby Masoudiya area, including its historic train station, as part of Israel’s broader policy of cultural appropriation and “Israelinization.”
He stated that the Nablus Tourism and Antiquities Advisory Council is closely monitoring the situation and will pursue legal and international action to stop this serious escalation.
For years, Sebastia has been under an organized campaign by Israel’s settlement councils to impose a de facto settler reality, including daily incursions into its archaeological sites under the protection of the Israeli army. These raids have driven away both local and international visitors, directly harming the livelihoods of dozens of families who depend on tourism, from shop owners and restaurant workers to local guides, many of whom are now out of work.
Sebastia is one of the richest archaeological areas in Palestine. It is home to unique landmarks such as the Roman colonnaded street, the shrine and mosque of Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist), the Roman episcopate, ancient courthouse, Roman amphitheater, royal Roman tomb, and the only Greek tower in Palestine. Today, all of these are at risk of being rebranded as “Israeli archaeological sites,” in a blatant attempt to rewrite history and erase the Palestinian identity of the land.
What is happening in Sebastia is more than just a land grab, it is an assault on memory, a distortion of narrative, and the theft of history. The moment demands more than condemnation; it requires urgent action, both popular and international, to protect what remains of Palestinian heritage and prevent Sebastia from becoming yet another station in the ongoing train of cultural erasure.
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