op-ed: Jerusalem and Israeli Judaization schemes

In 2015, the Netanyahu government granted the “Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage” the powers to integrate the heritage dimension into plans and activities for the city of Jerusalem in particular, and in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, which it calls “Judea and Samaria.” Since 2018, the Ministry has played a pivotal role in developing draft Resolution 3790, within the framework of which the Israeli government approved the East Jerusalem development plan with a budget of NIS 3.2 billion, which will be spent on construction, organization, transportation, education and integration sectors, and on enhancing the technological environment for business.

In the same context of Judaization plans, the Israeli government approved the "emergency plan for the period 2023-2027" presented by the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage and entitled "Protecting archaeological and heritage sites, preventing their destruction and theft, and enabling the heritage infrastructure in" Judea and Samaria "and the Jordan Valley."

The budget for implementing the plan amounted to 150 million shekels, and upon its approval, the Minister of Jerusalem and Heritage stated, “The heritage sites represent biblical and Jewish historical assets, and they will receive full protection within this plan.” He added that the preparation for the implementation of this plan was to transfer the affiliation of the “Israeli Antiquities Authority” from the “Ministry of Culture and Sports” to the “Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage”, while giving the “Antiquities Authority” a Judaizing arm through its cooperation with the “Jewish National Fund” to seize the archaeological and heritage sites scattered on the lands of the West Bank in order to strengthen the settlement policy and to try to legitimize the settlements and all their outposts and annex what remains from the Palestinian territories.

During the last period, the Israeli government took a series of measures to Judaize a site in the classified area (B) in Mount Ebal in the West Bank, where the Palestinian National Authority supervises the archaeological sites.

Israeli archaeologists and American evangelical archaeologists supported them claimed that the Biblical site is called Joshua's Altar. In response to Western statements that the Israeli measure contradicts the Oslo Accords, the Minister of Jerusalem and Israeli Heritage said, "The error called the Oslo Accords, which led to the abandonment of many heritage sites, will soon end, and every heritage site, regardless of its location, will be protected."

And later, in a precedent that is the first of its kind, the official of the American Office for Palestinian Affairs, a few months ago, handed over to the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism an artifact dating back to the Assyrian civilization, confiscated by the airport security in America  and returned to Palestine. It was later revealed that the piece was stolen from an archaeological site called Khirbet al-Koum in the Hebron Governorate. The Minister of Jerusalem and Heritage denounced what the official of the American Office for Palestinian Affairs did and promised to examine the "legality" of his handing over the artifact to the Palestinian National Authority.

The Israeli government allocates hundreds of millions of shekels to Judaize all the heritage and archaeological sites in historic Palestine, knowing that these archaeological sites are nothing but witnesses and preservers of the Palestinian historical and national narrative that completely refutes its extraneous narrative. As for those who follow the systematic Israeli settlement policy, they certainly realize that the Israeli media machine has been promoting that one of the most important justifications for the settlement policy is "protecting the biblical and Jewish heritage from Palestinian vandalism."

And as a continuation of its policy of stealing the Palestinian Arab heritage, Israel claims and markets that the popular Palestinian national dishes such as shakshuka, falafel, maqlouba, and kunafa sweets are part of the Israeli heritage. It also claims that the Palestinian dress, the keffiyeh, and the embroidered belt are “authentic components of a stolen Jewish heritage.”

The national folklore was not spared. Several years ago, Israeli singing groups began to imitate the Palestinian "dahya" and perform it in concerts as their folklore. In conclusion, "Palestine will remain, and those who cross it will leave it as an invader."