Knesset Bill Seeks Exclusive Israeli Control of Sebastia Archaeological Sites, Palestinians Face Expropriation

In Sebastia, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, a bill discussed this week in the Knesset aims to place under exclusive Israeli control all of the West Bank's archaeological sites, in violation of the 1993 accords, and the expropriation process has already begun.

Subhi Yasmeen, a 66-year-old Palestinian farmer, said, "This land has been handed down to us from generation to generation, for hundreds of years," after learning that his two parcels of olive trees, each a half-hectare, could be seized by Israeli authorities.

Agence Media Palestine

Le Parisien describes Sebastia as home to one of the region's oldest archaeological sites, with some remains dating back to the 9th century BCE when the first monarchs of the Kingdom of Israel established their capital there under the name Samaria.

The article also says the site has been occupied continuously since the Iron Age, passing through Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Saladin's soldiers and the Ottomans.

In the same context of land control, France Palestine Solidarité says Israel’s decision to resume land registration procedures in the occupied West Bank for the first time since 1967 will facilitate expropriation and displacement of Palestinians, in violation of international law.

France Palestine Solidarité reports that the land registration process, also called 'land title settlement', was reinstated after Sunday's government approval of a proposal submitted by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Defense Minister Israel Katz.

The same article quotes Bimkom head of research Michal Braier telling Al Jazeera that land registration will be inaccessible to a large portion of the Palestinian population who has never officially registered their lands or who may not be able to prove their ownership.

Al-Najah al-ikhbari

Peace Now is described as saying the reestablished land registration process amounts to a 'total annexation' of Palestinian land, and Hagit Ofran told Al Jazeera, "This is a way for Israel to take control of the West Bank."

The article also says the Israeli Supreme Court rejected a petition opposing the resumption of the land registration process, filed by local rights groups Bimkom, Yesh Din, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and HaMoked, ruling it was 'premature' to rule on the implementation of the government’s decision.

In parallel, Le Parisien frames the Knesset bill as violating the 1993 accords, while Subhi Yasmeen’s account ties the policy to the potential seizure of his olive trees.

WAFA Agency reports that the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission said Israeli authorities issued 49 military orders for the takeover of land since the beginning of 2026 under the guise of security, targeting a total of 2,093 dunums of Palestinian-owned land.

WAFA says the orders do not formally transfer land ownership but impose broad restrictions on land use by requiring the removal or pruning of trees and vegetation, restricting access and preventing replanting, and it argues the measures amount to de facto control over the land.

In a separate account, وطن says Israeli occupation authorities are moving to seize broad swathes of Palestinian land as part of a project to widen Highway 60, describing it as a step Palestinians say will deepen fragmentation and isolate villages from their agricultural lands.

The same article quotes Tayseer Salem saying, "We are in grave danger, because they want to seize the land by force," after settlers came on tractors and forced farmers off their lands under the threat of weapons.

الجزيرة نت adds that Israel granted the United States a plot of land in occupied East Jerusalem for one dollar under an agreement to establish the permanent headquarters of the U.S. embassy, with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Hakabi signing the agreement.