Palestinian tourism official warns of Israeli plan targeting 142 archaeological sites in Hebron
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 in the governorate by transferring their administration from military authorities to a civilian body affiliated with the Israeli government.
Al-Rajoub said that the move is part of a broader policy aimed at tightening control over archaeological sites and using them to advance the colonial settlement project.
He said 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 sites.
He said among the sites that have recently come 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.
