An ancient Palestinian village is caught in a growing dispute over land, history and identity, as Israeli plans to develop archaeological sites raise fears that residents could lose access to land their families have cultivated for generations.
Palestinian families living around the ancient site of Sebastia in the occupied West Bank say they are being pushed away from land that has been part of their lives for generations.
One landowner, Abu Mudif, says Israeli authorities have notified him that his olive fields are among about 450 acres being taken over to protect and develop the archaeological site as a national park.
For him, the loss is about more than money.
“It is like having your soul ripped away. I cannot imagine myself without my land,” he said.
The ancient site contains remains from several periods, including the Roman, Crusader and Ottoman eras, as well as important links to ancient Jewish history.
Nahed Sakha, who owns a restaurant near the site, fears the plans could separate the village from the ruins.
“Restoration work has now begun along with excavations,” he said. “Landowners were told that no-one would be allowed to use or plough their land.”
The concerns have also drawn attention from Unesco, which recently placed Sebastia on its list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. It cited planned land expropriation and the proposed Samaria national park as a threat that could divide the site.
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Israel rejects accusations that it is using archaeology to erase Palestinian history.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said: “No vote in an international organisation can change history.”
But Israeli activist Alon Arad, who heads the heritage group Emek Shaveh, says the local community should have a central role in managing the site.
“Israel is not the owner of this place. This is a Palestinian heritage site,” he said.
Similar concerns have emerged at Herodium, south of Sebastia, where Israel is taking about 80 acres for what it calls the preservation and development of the ancient site.
Peace Now argues that such land seizures could be linked to settlement expansion.
The dispute has now become part of a much wider argument over who controls the West Bank’s ancient heritage.
For Palestinians in Sebastia, the fear is simple: that preserving the ruins could eventually mean losing the land and community that have surrounded them for generations.
