Archaeology Staff Officer

Unprecedented Annexation Move: Knesset Committee Votes to Establish a Civilian Authority to Govern Antiquities in the West Bank

This alert is submitted jointly on behalf of Peace Now, Emek Shaveh, and the Geneva Initiative: Executive Summary On February 3, 2026, the Knesset’s Education, Culture, and Sports Committee, chaired...

Following Knesset committee discussion, Annexationist Bill Disguised as Antiquities Protection set to be finalized next week ahead of vote

On Wednesday, 31 December 2025, the Knesset’s Education, Culture and Sports Committee, chaired by MK Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism), held its fourth discussion on legislation that would extend Israeli civilian...

Urgent: Following Knesset committee discussion, Annexationist Bill Disguised as Antiquities Protection set to be finalized next week ahead of vote

On Wednesday, 31 December 2025, the Knesset’s Education, Culture and Sports Committee, chaired by MK Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism), held its fourth discussion on legislation that would extend Israeli civilian...

Urgent update: ICA moves to expropriate entire Sebastia acropolis in a major step toward annexation

The Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) issued an expropriation notice for the entire acropolis of Sebastia and surrounding area, in a grave development that represents annexation of one of the region’s...

Government approves additional 40 million NIS for ancient sites in the West Bank

The Israeli government decided on Sunday, October 26th, to allocate a further 40 million NIS for archaeological sites in the West Bank for 2025-2026. The new funds come from budget cuts across government...

Statement on Attack on Holy Family Church in Gaza, new developments in Hebron, and summary of the 47th World Heritage Committee Session regarding sites in E. Jerusalem, W.Bank and Gaza  

The following includes Emek Shaveh’s statement regarding last Thursday’s attack on the Roman Catholic Church in Gaza, new developments at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, and an update...

Works Begin on 32 million NIS Plan to Turn Ancient Site of Sebastia into an Israeli Tourist Site

The Israeli Ministry of Heritage announced yesterday the commencement of excavation and conservation work at the archaeological site of Sebastia, located north of Nablus in the West Bank. The announcement marks the...

Knesset Deliberations on Annexationist Archaeology Bill to Continue; Conference on Archaeology in “Judea and Samaria” opens in Jerusalem

Knesset Committee to Deliberate Bill to Expand Israel Antiquity Authority’s Jurisdiction into the West Bank The proposed legislation to extend the Israel Antiquities Authority’s (IAA) Jurisdiction into the West Bank will...

Open Letter

Open Letter to my Academic Colleagues Participating in “The First International Conference on Archaeology and Site Conservation of Judea and Samaria” Download as a PDF Last weekend, I found a...

Alert: Military issues order to seize land at summit of ancient site of Sebastia

Yesterday (July 24th, 2024) we learned that the Israeli army has issued (on July 10th, 2024) an order to seize 1.3 dunam at the archaeological site of Sebastia in the...