Israeli Knesset advances bill to control West Bank archaeological sites

The Israeli Knesset has approved in a preliminary reading a bill that would transfer management of all archaeological sites in the West Bank from the Defense Ministry to a new civil authority under the Heritage Ministry, a move critics say amounts to de facto annexation. The proposed 'Authority for Heritage in Judea and Samaria' would oversee sites in all three administrative zones (A, B, C) established by the 1995 Oslo Accords, including areas currently under Palestinian Authority control. Proponents, including Likud MK Amit Halevi, argue the move is necessary for 'cultural victory' amid ongoing conflicts with Iran and Hamas. The Israeli NGO Emek Shaveh, which documents heritage attacks, warns the bill would politicize archaeology by appointing settler representatives to the authority and excluding the Palestinian Authority. The bill follows two years of intensified settlement activity and damage to archaeological sites by Israeli settlers without government condemnation. Under the 1954 Hague Convention, an occupying power must manage antiquities as a legal guardian for the occupied population, not for its own benefit. If passed, the law could prevent Palestinian access to sites like the biblical cities of Samaria, Jericho, and Shiloh, the Qumran caves, and the palace and tomb of King Herod.