On this West Bank hilltop, a fight over the past will determine who controls the future

Sebastia, a 3,000‑year‑old archaeological site near Nablus with Roman, Byzantine and biblical layers, is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians.
Israel recently moved to seize roughly 500 acres and pledged $10 million to develop the site as a tourist attraction—part of a broader right‑wing heritage push that critics say links archaeology to territorial control.
The Palestinian Authority is racing to list Sebastia as a UNESCO World Heritage site as locals warn loss of access would wreck tourism and olive‑harvest incomes.