Hebron: The director of the Tourism and Antiquities Directorate in Hebron, Jabr al-Rajoub, said Israeli authorities are moving forward with a plan to assert control over 142 archaeological sites across the governorate by transferring their administration from military authorities to a civilian body affiliated with the Israeli government.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, the move is part of a broader policy aimed at tightening control over archaeological sites and using them to advance the colonial settlement project. Al-Rajoub stated that settler organizations backed by the Israeli government, under the direction of hard-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, are working to transfer responsibility for managing the sites to Israeli colonists, who have expanded their presence by establishing new settlement outposts near several locations.
He noted that among the sites recently coming under increased colonist control are the Ein Far'a archaeological area and the Nabi Saleh shrine east of the town of Idhna, following the establishment of the Adorayim settlement outpost nearby.
Al-Rajoub also referred to recent roofing and restoration work carried out at the Ibrahimi Mosque by settler organizations with the backing of the Israeli government. He indicated that this forms part of the same policy aimed at imposing new realities at Palestinian archaeological and religious sites.
He explained that settler groups have for years lobbied for the transfer of administrative authority over the sites to accelerate plans to expand Israeli control and consolidate their presence through settlement institutions.
According to al-Rajoub, most of the targeted archaeological sites are located in Area C of the occupied West Bank and have been subjected to repeated measures, including land seizure, the establishment of settlement outposts, and restrictions on Palestinian access. He emphasized that these actions are aimed at altering the historical and cultural character of the sites.