The physique of John the Baptist is believed to be buried beneath Sebastia’s picturesque Ottoman-era village centre. Within the Bible, he’s stated to have baptised Jesus within the Jordan River east of Sebastia.
He was apparently beheaded by Roman-appointed King Herod I, who dominated Palestine from 37 BC, and his head was buried in Damascus.
The Israeli authorities, nonetheless, focuses on Sebastia being the reported website of the capital of the Kingdom of Israel through the First Temple Interval (circa 1,200 to 586 BC).
The significance Israel offers to the location could be seen within the boundary between Sebastia’s archaeological park and the village of Sebastia itself.
The second Oslo Accord in 1995 divided the Palestinian West Financial institution into three areas with roughly two-thirds in Space C below full Israeli administration and management, together with Sebastia’s archaeological park.
The remainder of Sebastia is in Space B below Palestinian management though Israel nonetheless controls safety.
Mayor Azem stated the conservation of historic websites in Sebastia has at all times triggered battle between Palestinians and their occupiers who need to “Judaise the location”.
Final 12 months, the Israeli authorities introduced about 30 million shekels (greater than $8m) for the restoration of the archaeological park. Just lately, senior Israeli authorities ministers, together with Environmental Safety Minister Idit Silman and far-right Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, have visited the location.
Azem fears as soon as the warfare on Gaza is over, the Israeli authorities will revive the scheme.
“When Sebastia is talked about, Israel’s extremist authorities is satisfied, or the politicians try to persuade themselves, that the historical past of the location belongs to the Jewish folks.
“And that’s why they’ve ready a price range … below the pretext of restoring the archaeological space and defending it, however actually they need Sebastia remodeled right into a Jewish-only website.”
Al Jazeera made inquiries with Israeli authorities in regards to the claims Azem and others on this article made however acquired no response by the point of publication.
Palestinian efforts to work on the location have usually been delayed, Azem stated, with the municipality unable to excavate, work on the ruins and even clear the location with out aggression and intimidation from the army.
“All of this stuff result in a … worry of visiting on account of the stress exerted by the occupation via the military and settlers,” Azem stated.
“They’re doing [this] to scare us, attempting to kick us out of our houses and lands to empty it for the settlers.”
Sebastia’s archaeological park has been below the management of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority since 1978. The Yesha Council, which oversees all Jewish settlements within the occupied West Financial institution, has its headquarters at Shavei Shomron. Azem says this solely emphasises Israel’s intent to regulate the village and its historic websites.
Tour information, archaeologist and villager Suhaib Huwwari stated settlers are responsible of “crimes towards historical past” and the village is unable to cease artefacts from being looted. Some settlers, he stated, have artefacts from the archaeological park on show of their houses.
“We spoke to UNESCO and gave them details about the Israeli challenge and known as for defense, however finally, Israel doesn’t care about worldwide criticism,” Azem stated.
Al Jazeera contacted UNESCO about these claims to ask whether or not progress has been made on registering Sebastia as a World Heritage Website and whether or not UNESCO condemns violence within the village.
A UNESCO spokesperson didn’t touch upon the behaviour of the settlers and the Israeli army in Sebastia and stated the physique has not acquired an software from Palestine for full World Heritage Website standing.
In Sebastia itself, Azem says, life has modified after the 2 “catastrophes” – first, the killing of Fawzi and, second, Israel’s warfare on Gaza, which has now killed greater than 36,000 Palestinians.
“After all [Fawzi’s killing] left a big effect,” he stated. “Persons are scared – dad and mom are scared.… When troopers invade Sebastia, dad and mom attempt to get their children again to their homes.”
“[And] since October 7, the military kills with none accountability. You see the massacres in Gaza day by day, and nobody cares. [It’s the] similar right here in Sebastia. Once they come to the village to kill and shoot, … there isn’t any accountability.
“However we won’t quit on our dwelling nor Palestine’s historical past.”
