Israeli authorities have issued an expropriation order for over 2,000 dunams (approximately 200 hectares) of land around Sebastia, a village in the occupied West Bank, as part of a plan to develop and preserve a hilltop archaeological site identified with the ancient city of Samaria. The order, announced earlier in 2026, has been temporarily frozen by Israel’s Supreme Court following an appeal by local residents.

The land includes olive groves owned by families such as that of Zaid Azhari, a local heritage researcher and council member, who described the potential loss as not only financial but also a severing of deep-rooted ties to the land. Palestinian officials say the expropriation, which affects about 55 percent of Sebastia’s land, threatens the livelihoods of around 560 families and the town’s agricultural economy, with its 6,000 olive trees serving as a key source of income.

Israeli authorities defend the expropriation as necessary to “preserve, restore and safeguard” the site. The Civil Administration, the Israeli body overseeing civilian affairs in parts of the West Bank, characterized the order as temporary and accused the Palestinian Authority of neglecting the area. Israel has allocated significant funds—amounting to 113 million shekels ($37 million)—to develop 70 archaeological sites across the West Bank, including other locations such as Herodium near Jerusalem and Nabi Samwil, the latter a Palestinian village containing a site believed to be the tomb of the prophet Samuel.

However, critics challenge the official narrative, arguing that the expropriation far exceeds protection of archaeology and aims to expand Israeli control over Palestinian territory. Alon Arad, head of Emek Shaveh, an Israeli organization dedicated to protecting heritage sites as shared cultural assets, called the order unjustified both legally and ethically, describing it as part of a broader "weaponization" of archaeology to facilitate annexation efforts by Israel’s far-right government. Analysts note that while Israel has expropriated land for archaeological purposes in the past, the current government—led by Benjamin Netanyahu and influenced by ultranationalist settlers—has intensified such measures in a way not seen before.

Opponents also reject claims that the Palestinian Authority has neglected the Sebastia site, pointing out that much of the area is already under Israeli control. They further criticize Israel for emphasizing exclusively Jewish historical narratives at sites that contain artefacts from multiple civilizations including Hellenic, Roman, Byzantine, and Muslim periods, thereby marginalizing the diverse heritage of the region.

The situation has contributed to broader tensions in the West Bank, where a significant increase in Jewish settlements—considered illegal under international law—has coincided with rising settler violence and displacement of Palestinian communities. The war in Gaza in 2023 further curtailed tourism, compounding economic difficulties in Sebastia.

In response to the threat to Sebastia’s archaeological heritage and landowners, the Palestinian Authority successfully campaigned for the site’s inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in July 2026, also designating it as “in danger” due to Israeli expropriation plans. While Palestinian officials hope this international recognition might influence Israel’s actions, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar criticized the UNESCO decision as denying Jewish historical connections to the land and emphasized that international votes cannot alter historical facts.