Nablus: Israeli occupation forces Wednesday raided the archaeological site of Sabastiya, northwest of the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, according to municipal source. Mohammad Azzem, Mayor of Sabastiya, reported that the occupying soldiers forced store owners to shut down their stores near the site.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, Sebastia is a small historical town located 11 kilometers northwest of Nablus. It is situated on a hill with panoramic views across the West Bank and has a population of approximately 3,000 Palestinians. The town has historical significance as a prominent settlement during the Iron Age as well as the Hellenistic and Roman eras. It features a Roman amphitheater, temples, and Byzantine and crusader churches dedicated to Saint John the Forerunner. Christians and Muslims regard the town as the burial place of the saint.
The town has become a focal point of cultural conflict, with Israel attempting to take over the area and obstruct Palestinian Authority efforts to conduct restoration work. Additionally, Israel has been accused of preventing the provision of tourist services to visitors and appropriating antiquities from the site. Palestinians have expressed concerns over repeated attacks by Israeli colonists, who have fenced parts of the antiquities and conducted religious rituals there.
The archaeological area spans twelve dunums, with portions falling under different administrative controls. Areas designated as (B) are jointly managed by the Israeli military and Palestinian administrative authority, while areas designated as (C) are under complete Israeli administrative and military control. Local business owners, including those running restaurants and hotels, have voiced complaints about the detrimental impact of Israeli actions on their operations, citing severe damages and losses.
The Israeli government refers to the occupied West Bank as ‘Judea and Samaria,’ a term used to assert historical and religious claims to the territory. Currently, around 834,000 Israeli colonists reside in colonies within the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.