Israel has approved $37 million in funding to accelerate its control of more than 70 historical landmarks in the occupied West Bank, a move that critics say amounts to weaponising archaeology in Palestinian areas.
The funding is part of a larger push that analysts link to election pressure, as the settlement movement seeks to entrench its hold on the territory. Reports describe the plan as large-scale land expropriation in historic, Palestinian parts of the West Bank, with violence in the area on the rise.
The allocation aims to expand Israeli control over sites of archaeological and historical significance. The move has drawn concern from Palestinian communities, who see it as a further step in undermining their presence.
No further details were provided about the specific sites or the timeline for the expropriations.