Israel Plans to Seize Parts of Historic Sebastia Site Amid New Settlement Outpost

Israel's Civil Administration has announced plans to expropriate approximately 1,800 dunams (445 acres) of land at the Sebastia archaeological site in the West Bank. This move, detailed in a government document obtained by The Associated Press, marks the largest seizure of archaeologically significant land in the region to date. The site, believed to be the capital of the ancient Israelite kingdom of Samaria and associated with John the Baptist's burial, is slated for development into a tourist attraction. The Israeli government has allocated over 30 million shekels ($9.24 million) for this project. Palestinian landowners have been given 14 days to file objections to the expropriation.

In a related development, Israeli settlers have established a new unauthorized outpost near Bethlehem. The chairman of the local Etzion settler council, Yaron Rosenthal, described the new community as a means to "strengthen the connection" between Etzion and Jerusalem. This outpost is situated close to the site of a recent Palestinian attack that resulted in the death of one Israeli and injuries to three others. Rosenthal called for a forceful response from Israel and increased support for settlements.

These developments occur amid heightened tensions in the West Bank, with concerns over settler violence and the displacement of Palestinians. Human Rights Watch has reported that Israeli military operations have forcibly displaced 32,000 Palestinians from three West Bank refugee camps this year, actions that may constitute war crimes. The Israeli military has stated that these operations were necessary to combat militancy in the region.