Israel Plans Seizure of Historic West Bank Site Amid Settlement Expansion

Israel announced plans to seize large portions of the Sebastia archaeological site in the West Bank, according to a government document obtained by The Associated Press. The move comes as Israeli settlers established a new unauthorized outpost near Bethlehem, further intensifying tensions in the Palestinian territory.

The Civil Administration, Israel’s military governing body in the West Bank, issued an order on November 12 declaring its intention to expropriate approximately 1,800 dunams (450 acres) of land at Sebastia. Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog group, called this Israel’s largest seizure of archaeologically significant land to date, far exceeding the previous record of 286 dunams seized in Susya.

Sebastia holds profound historical and religious significance. The site contains ruins believed to cover the ancient Israelite kingdom of Samaria and is revered by Christians and Muslims as the burial place of John the Baptist. The area is also home to thousands of olive trees that belong to Palestinian landowners.

The Israeli government had previously announced plans to develop Sebastia into a tourist attraction in 2023 and has already allocated more than 30 million shekels ($9.24 million) for the project. Excavations have begun despite Palestinian objections. The expropriation order gives Palestinians just 14 days to file formal objections.

Meanwhile, Israeli settlers established a new unauthorized outpost near Bethlehem, converting a former military base into residential structures. Yaron Rosenthal, chairman of the local Etzion settler council, framed the settlement as a “return to the city of our matriarch Rachel, of King David” that would “strengthen the connection” between the Etzion settlement bloc and Jerusalem.

The timing of this settlement activity appears linked to a recent attack at a nearby junction where Palestinian assailants stabbed one Israeli to death and wounded three others. Settlers shared photos online showing temporary homes and bulldozers at work on the site.

Rosenthal called for stronger government support for settlements, arguing that “terrorism is fueled by the hope of a state,” referring to Palestinian aspirations for statehood. While Hamas did not claim responsibility for the attack, the group described it as “a normal response to the occupation’s attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause.”

These developments unfold against a backdrop of increasing concern about settler violence in the West Bank. Human Rights Watch released a report Thursday accusing Israel of war crimes for forcibly expelling 32,000 Palestinians from three refugee camps earlier this year during “Operation Iron Wall.” The organization described this as the largest displacement in the territory since Israel captured it in 1967.

The rights group documented extensive destruction, with satellite imagery showing more than 850 homes and buildings destroyed or heavily damaged. Israel maintains the military operations were necessary to combat militant activity following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the Gaza war.

“With global attention focused on Gaza, Israeli forces have carried out war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank that should be investigated and prosecuted,” said Nadia Hardman, senior refugee and migrant rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.

In a separate incident highlighting tensions in the region, Palestinian activist Ayman Ghrayeb Odeh, who documented settler violence, was detained and hospitalized. His lawyer, Riham Nasra, reported that Israeli authorities have refused to disclose his location, condition, or the reason for his hospitalization. Israel’s Shin Bet security agency confirmed his detention on incitement charges.

Odeh’s brother told the AP that the activist merely “posts photos and writes on social media about what is happening. He is not inciting… He is only saying and posting what he sees about the lives of people in the Jordan Valley.”

Israel has settled more than 500,000 Jews in the West Bank since capturing the territory in 1967, with an additional 200,000 in East Jerusalem. The current Israeli government includes prominent settlement advocates, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who shapes settlement policy, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the police force.

While Israel’s president and high-ranking military officials have condemned recent settler violence, the government’s actions suggest continued support for expanding Israel’s control over disputed territories.