以色列当局在被占领的约旦河西岸古遗址塞巴斯蒂亚征收了约450英亩巴勒斯坦人土地，名义上用于建立国家公园和保护考古遗址[1]。以色列政府为这一项目分配了约1.13亿谢克尔（2780万英镑）资金，目标是扩大对约旦河西岸考古遗址的控制范围[1]。
联合国教科文组织已将塞巴斯蒂亚遗址列入世界遗产危险名单，表示这些行为威胁了遗址的完整性[1]。以色列激进人士和国际组织指责以色列将考古学武器化，用来掩盖定居点扩张和对巴勒斯坦土地的控制[1]。以色列和平现在组织指出，根据国际法和以色列最高法院的判决，以色列禁止为定居点目的征收土地[1]。
一项新法案曾在5月通过议会第一次读数，旨在将这些考古遗址的控制权从军事管理的民政局转移到以色列遗产部[1]。对于国际社会的批评，以色列外交部长吉迪恩·萨尔回应称："国际组织的投票改变不了历史"[1]。
Israel has confiscated approximately 450 acres of Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank at the ancient site of Sebastia, citing plans to establish a national park and protect archaeological remains [1]. The allocation includes roughly 113 million shekels (approximately 28 million pounds) designated for expanding Israeli control over archaeological sites in the West Bank [1]. UNESCO has designated Sebastia as a World Heritage Site and placed it on its endangered list, citing concerns that these actions threaten the integrity of the site [1].
Israeli activists and international organizations have criticized the government for weaponizing archaeology to mask settlement expansion and territorial control over Palestinian lands [1]. According to Peace Now, an Israeli organization, Israeli law and rulings from the country's Supreme Court prohibit the confiscation of land for settlement purposes [1]. In May, a new bill underwent its first parliamentary reading that would transfer administrative control of archaeological sites from the military-controlled Civil Administration to Israel's Heritage Ministry [1]. In response to international opposition, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that "votes by international organizations will not change history" [1].