Israel (mis)using Archaeology for annexation
JVL Introduction
Israel continues to use archaeology as a way of taking control (at the least) of even more of the West Bank. A move to legislate for extensive powers to use claims of “archaeological preservation” to seize Palestinian land passed its first reading in the Israeli Parliament but elections have halted progress – for now.
Israel’s plans for one of the main current examples, Nabi Samuel (or Tomb of Samuel) in Sebastia would almost certainly “move the site’s principal entrance away from the Palestinian village, its existing parking area and local businesses to the opposite side of the archaeological complex.”. The impact on local businesses and Palestinians’ connection to the site, equally important for Jews and Muslims is not even being considered.
+972 Magazine has also reported this noting that: “In February, Israel’s Civil Administration — the bureaucratic arm of the occupation — issued an expropriation order covering more than 2,000 dunams around Sebastia’s archaeological site, including privately owned agricultural land. The move represents Israel’s largest ever land seizure for antiquities.”
The moves have been opposed by Israeli archaeologists – as previous such moves have been and UNESCO has now stepped in regarding the site at Sebastia but will this make a difference?
This article was originally published by Palestine Chronicle on Sun 9 Aug 2026. Read the original here.
Sebastia under Threat: Israel is Turning Archaeology into a Tool of Annexation
Israel is expanding control over ancient West Bank sites, prompting accusations that archaeology is being weaponized to seize Palestinian land.
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Israel likes to use archeology to blend their territorial claim and to some extent the imagined nationalistic identity. But it must also be pointed out that even before Israel there has been a ‘colonial’ archeology where settler colonies existed worldwide. Israel in some ways have copied that colonial archeology too to support the imagined community of nationalism.
Some Scholars and academics do work for governments in exchange for funding of their own research and to support the interests of those states. Alas a free thinking quest for truth will not be found in donor funded universities.
In a lot of ways education is untruthful taught has facts, it is bound to nationalism and settler conquests.
Edward Said made a great erudite point on this subject ( Please read The Potenate and The Traveler). Universities should be a space of learning and debate but he observed how they a space were universities rely on wealthy donors, state and corporations with their own agendas which then has a bearing on what they teach students.
What we have are colonial settlers manipulating archeology to support their claims whilst destroying/claiming the rights of the indigenous population to their ancestral history.
And after this further example of Israel’s determination to erase all traces of the existence of Palestine and Palestinians, regardless of international law and humanity, the UK Charity Commission felt it adequate to express criticism of the Edgware United Synagogue (a ‘charity’) for hosting ‘Great Israeli Real Estate Event’ which promoted properties in illegal Israeli settlements. This criticism will undoubtedly terrify Israel! The UK Charity Commission acts as if toothless, but it simply aims not to rock the establishment boat.