Israeli army classifies 63 sites in the West Bank as ‘Israeli heritage’
A Palestinian research institute said on Wednesday that the Israeli Army has declared 63 Palestinian archaeological sites in the West Bank as “Israeli heritage sites”, in a move described as a clear violation of international law and international commitments.
The declaration was revealed in a report by the non-governmental Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem (ARIJ), titled ‘Archaeological Sites in Nablus Governorate: An Open Arena for Israeli Confiscation Plans.’ The Wafa news agency published the report.
According to the report, this Israeli move is part of an escalation that coincides with the ongoing war in Gaza, during which Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, have killed at least 1,015 Palestinians, wounded around 7,000 others, and arrested more than 18,500, according to Palestinian figures.
The report noted that a military order signed by Brigadier General Moti Almoz, head of the Israeli Civil Administration, which is subordinate to the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank, classified the 63 locations as “Israeli historical and archaeological sites”.
Of these sites, 59 are in Nablus governorate, three are in Ramallah governorate, and one is in Salfit governorate.
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