Nablus Governorate’s Archaeological Sites Face Israeli Expropriation Plans

On 10 August, 2025, the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA), issued a booklet of military orders signed by the head of the so-called ‘Israeli Civil Administration’ in the occupied West Bank, Brigadier General Moti Almoz, under the title, “Order Regarding the Antiquities Law (Judea and Samaria) (No. 6611–6891) of 1986 – Notice Regarding the Antiquities Law (Judea and Samaria) of 2013, No. 3162”.

The orders stipulate the following: ‘By virtue of my authority as commissioner, under the Order Regarding the Antiquities Law (Judea and Samaria), (No. 6611–6891 of 1986), (hereinafter referred to as “the Order”), and pursuant to Article 8(a) of the Antiquities Law No. 16 of 1981 (hereinafter referred to as “the Law”), I hereby declare: “The following sites indicated on the maps are historical sites containing antiquities.”

Based on the maps provided in the orders’ booklet, 63 sites in the occupied West Bank were classified as ‘Israeli historical and archaeological sites,’ including 59 sites in Nablus Governorate alone, three sites in Ramallah Governorate, and one site in Salfit Governorate. Table (1) illustrates the distribution of the targeted sites in the occupied West Bank according to their locations.”

Following Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory in 1967, authority over antiquities was entrusted to the Israeli military governor. The Jordanian Antiquities Law No. 51 of 1966 remained in force in the occupied West Bank, while the Palestinian Antiquities Regulations of 1929 remained applicable in Gaza. Under Israeli military rule, an Antiquities Department was established/created, headed by the Officer of Antiquities, who was subordinate to the Israeli military government and the Civil Administration.

In order to tighten its control over archaeological sites in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli occupation Authority introduced several amendments to the Jordanian Antiquities Law No. 51 of 1966 through a series of Israeli military orders. These included transferring the powers of the Director of Antiquities, as stipulated in the Jordanian law, to the Israeli military governor, as well as suspending the enforcement of certain provisions of the Jordanian law in force.

In 1986, the Israeli occupation authorities introduced extensive amendments to the Jordanian Antiquities Law through Military Orders No. 1166 and 1167. These amendments affected issues relating to licensing and trade of Palestinian antiquities.

Moreover, these Israeli military orders granted the Israeli Officer of Antiquities nearly absolute “legal” powers in the occupied Palestinian territory, thereby; tightening Israel’s grip over Palestinian archaeological resources, controlling and exploiting them as part of its “settlement project” in the Palestinian territory.

The military orders’ booklet also targeted 10 Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank through ‘redefining/changing their boundaries’ under Israeli Military Order No. 892 of 1981, entitled: ‘Order Concerning the Administration of Local Councils (Judea and Samaria) No. 892, 5741-1981’, pursuant to which local councils were established for Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The targeted Israeli settlements are listed below according to their location in each governorate, as shown in Table No. (2)

In closing,

Israel’s targeting of Palestinian archaeological sites in the occupied West Bank is not merely a matter of “administrative” or “formal legal” procedures. Rather, it is part of a systematic policy aimed at confiscating Palestinian heritage and reshaping the Palestinian historical identity to serve the Israeli settlement project—especially given that the majority of the targeted sites are located near Israeli settlement outposts, settlements, or other military sites, particularly in Nablus Governorate.

Classifying these Palestinian archaeological and historical sites as “Israeli” constitutes a clear violation of international law, including the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, and the Geneva Conventions, which prohibits an occupying power from altering the historical and cultural character of occupied territories or exploiting them for political or military purposes. Consequently, the Israeli occupation’s practices regarding Palestinian heritage constitute a blatant breach of international obligations and pose a direct threat to Palestinian national identity.

Instead of safeguarding and preserving cultural property as part of Palestinian heritage, the Israeli occupation authorities classify many Palestinian archaeological sites as “Israeli property” and use military orders to justify their control and legitimize their confiscation.

It is worth noting that the Israeli occupation authorities classify more than 2,400 Palestinian archaeological sites in the occupied West Bank as “Israeli archaeological sites,” declaring them areas that must be protected and preserved. In practice, however, these sites are used to control vast areas of Palestinian land under the pretext of “heritage preservation”. Many of these areas are later transferred for use of Israeli settlements, settlement outposts, military sites, or tourist and recreational facilities, from which only Israeli settlers and tourists benefit.

Prepared by:  
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem