The Hamas Movement has denounced the Knesset’s preliminary approval of legislation to seize archaeological sites in the occupied West Bank, describing it as “unlawful” and “dangerous aggression against global heritage.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Hamas accused the Israeli occupation regime of using Palestinian antiquities to advance its colonial schemes and Judaize archeological sites in the West Bank.
“This reflects fascist behavior that forms part of the occupation government’s expansionist settlement policy aimed at annexing Palestinian land and imposing full control over the West Bank,” Hamas said.
Hamas appealed to UNESCO and international heritage bodies to urgently intervene against Israel’s targeting of archaeological and historical landmarks in Palestine.
“All the crimes and violations committed by the occupation against our land, people, and holy sites will not change the fact that this land has always been and will remain purely Palestinian,” the Movement underlined.
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, passed on Monday the first reading of a bill that would place Palestinian heritage sites in the occupied West Bank under direct Israeli control.
The bill calls for establishing state responsibility for antiquities, heritage, and archaeological sites in the West Bank by creating a body under Israel’s heritage ministry.
This Israeli body would be granted broad powers to excavate, develop, and manage sites, including the authority to expropriate and acquire Palestinian land for these purposes.
The draft law must still pass its second and third readings before it can be enacted and become legislation.
