The Israeli Knesset's Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved a first reading of a bill that would grant Israel's Heritage Minister sweeping authority over antiquities in the West Bank. The legislation allows for the appointment of a governing council, the designation of antiquity sites, and the expropriation of land and artifacts across the occupied territory, including areas currently under Palestinian civil control.
The bill is widely condemned as a violation of international law and a step toward annexation, threatening the Oslo Accords' framework for shared heritage management. Critics argue it accelerates settlement expansion and undermines Palestinian land rights and livelihoods tied to cultural tourism, as exemplified by the planned seizure and redevelopment of the ancient site of Sebastia into 'Shomron National Park.'