Will UNESCO’s heritage listing halt Israeli plans for West Bank’s Sebastia? 

Palestinian officials have welcomed UNESCO’s decision to add Sebastia in the occupied West Bank to both the World Heritage list and its list of World Heritage in danger in the hope that it will prevent Israel from extending its control over the Palestinian village and its archaeological site. Israel, meanwhile, has denounced the decision and described it as political.

Nizar Kayed, deputy mayor of Sebastia, explained in comments to the Reuters news agency that he hoped the decision would help preserve its ancient city.

“This decision came after the confiscation order issued by the Israeli occupation authorities, which destroys this area from a cultural and historical standpoint and also destroys people’s livelihoods. It is part of the settlement expansion project in this area,” Kayed said.

Olive trees surround the archaeological site, which is dotted with Roman columns, ancient walls, stone steps and an amphitheatre.

Many residents of the nearby Palestinian village, which shares the name Sebastia with the ancient site, depend on tourism for their livelihoods. They are facing land confiscations after the Israeli authorities announced a plan to seize about 180 hectares (445 acres) at and around the archaeological site, saying the aim was the “preservation and development” of the area.

Palestinian officials have also expressed concern over a new Israeli bill that, if passed, would expand Israeli control over archaeological sites in the West Bank.

In practice, this would strip the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank under the Oslo peace agreements signed in the 1990s, of oversight over archaeological sites in the areas under its administrative control.

Sebastia is one of the most important archaeological sites in the West Bank. Its origins date back more than 3,000 years.

It is believed to be the site of Samaria, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Israel.

The city flourished in the Roman era when Herod the Great rebuilt it and expanded it lavishly, naming it Sebaste in honour of Emperor Augustus. It became a model Roman city with a temple, stadium, a long colonnaded street and other structures.

It also contains remains from the Hellenistic and Byzantine periods and is considered a sacred site by Christians and Muslims because of its association with the tomb of the Prophet Yahya, or John the Baptist.

The antiquities discovered in Sebastia – such as the city walls, the royal palace, a famous ivory collection and large Roman buildings – stand as living testimony to the succession of civilisations there: Canaanite, Israelite, Assyrian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic through to the Crusader and Ottoman periods.

Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Hani al-Hayek said the World Heritage Committee on Friday approved the Palestinian nomination, recognising the site as a unique witness to the succession of civilisations and cultures that have inhabited the area.

“In its decision, the committee affirmed that Sebastia is distinguished by the multiplicity of its archaeological layers and the clarity of its historical sequence, reflecting the continuous development of an urban, political and religious centre for more than 2,000 years,” al-Hayek said. “This gives it outstanding universal value that deserves protection under the World Heritage Convention.”

Al-Hayek explained: “The committee also decided to place the site on the list of World Heritage in danger because of the threats it faces as a result of the Israeli occupation, including plans to confiscate land, alter the site’s historical and archaeological character, and impose restrictions on protection, management and conservation efforts.”

The official stressed that his ministry will work with local and international partners to implement the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee, including updating the site management plan and strengthening protection and monitoring measures to ensure that its outstanding universal value is preserved for future generations.

The addition of Sebastia to UNESCO’s World Heritage list does not, however, mean that Israel will relinquish its control over the site.

Israel has increasingly shown that it is willing to ignore international decisions related to its illegal occupation of Palestinian land. And there are past examples of Israel specifically ignoring UNESCO, such as a 2017 decision by the United Nations agency to add Hebron’s Old City to the World Heritage list. That has not stopped Israel from continuing the presence of Israeli settlers in the heart of the Palestinian city and recently taking over the administration of Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque, ignoring Palestinian objections.

Israel has also repeatedly ignored UNESCO protestations for it to stop excavation work around the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem.

Ancient columns in Sebastia [File: Reuters]