Israel allocates $37 million to take control of over 70 West Bank heritage sites

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich disclosed a 113-million-shekel allocation intended to bring more than 70 historic sites in the occupied West Bank under Israeli control. The decision, endorsed by a government steering committee, builds on a previously approved 250-million-shekel initiative covering archaeological locations throughout the West Bank, the Jordan Valley and other areas. The Settlements Ministry is slated to receive 157 million shekels directly, with an additional 142 million shekels authorized for future commitments, and the Knesset’s Finance Committee simultaneously approved close to 300 million shekels for the ministry.

Smotrich described the project as a paramount Zionist act, promising new visitor centres and research facilities to showcase what Israel labels Jewish heritage. While specific sites were not listed, Palestinian outlets reported that the plan includes Solomon’s Pools near Bethlehem, a location Smotrich has previously pursued. The move occurs amid ongoing settlement expansion, which international law deems illegal, and a surge in settler-related violence in the West Bank.