Full Breakdown
Knesset Accelerates West Bank Antiquities Bill Amid Annexation Controversy
5/20/2026, 10:59:03 PM
Legislative Push for a Judea and Samaria Heritage Authority
The Knesset Education, Culture and Sports Committee began preparing a bill that would create a civilian “Judea and Samaria Heritage Authority” to assume responsibility for antiquities, heritage sites and archaeological work in the West Bank and Gaza. The committee, chaired by MK Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism), scheduled meetings on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to ready the proposal for second- and third-reading votes in the Knesset plenum. The effort coincides with a coalition decision to dissolve the Knesset, raising uncertainty about whether the final plenary vote will occur before elections.
Historical and Legal Context
Until now, the Defense Ministry’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) has overseen antiquities in the occupied territories, while the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) declined a 2023 request to extend its jurisdiction. Under the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority was assigned protection of archaeological sites in Areas A and B, a duty Regavim argues it has failed to fulfill. The proposed authority would shift oversight from military to civilian control, a change described by critics as a departure from the established paradigm.
Principal Actors
- MK Amit Halevi (Likud) – sponsor of the bill and vocal supporter.
- MK Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism) – committee chair overseeing the fast-track process.
- Minister Amichai Eliyahu (Heritage) – announced the appointment of Esther Schreiber to lead the IAA.
- Attorney Ayala Roash (Defense Ministry legal office) – raised legal objections.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – framed the plan as a national-historical priority.
- Regavim – research-based advocacy group supporting the bill; its director Naomi Linder Kahn commented on jurisdictional gaps.
- MK Ohad Tal (Religious Zionist Party) – expressed backing for the legislation.
Quantitative Details
- Approximately 6,000 archaeological sites are recognized in Judea and Samaria, with 2,300 formally protected.
- The government approved a NIS 250 million program for preservation and tourism infrastructure in the West Bank.
- The IAA’s annual budget runs in the hundreds of millions of shekels and employs roughly 800 staff.
- Esther Schreiber’s former NGO, INEXTG, reported a 2024 budget of NIS 26 million and 60 salaried employees, contrasting with the ministry’s claim of a NIS 100 million budget.
Government Position and Rationale
Government officials argue the legislation secures Israel’s cultural heritage, combats looting, and formalizes state responsibility for sites long neglected since 1967. The Prime Minister emphasized the plan’s role in “strengthening our hold on the Land of Israel” and preserving “heritage, identity and historical truth.” The Heritage Minister described the IAA as safeguarding “the physical evidence of our existence as the biblical people who returned to their land.”
Opposition and Academic Concerns
Attorney Roash warned that the bill would “remove the authority of the military commander, taking away his powers,” creating legal contradictions with the existing management paradigm. Archaeologists contend the new authority may not improve site protection and could expose Israeli scholars to international boycotts. Critics also note that, under prevailing interpretations of international law, Israel may conduct only salvage excavations in disputed areas, not full archaeological research.
Conflicting Information and Unresolved Issues
- Schreiber’s credentials: Ministry statements cite extensive executive experience, while NGO filings and i24news reports limit her real-estate dealings to a single, expropriated building.
- Budget figures: The ministry’s claim of a NIS 100 million annual budget for INEXTG conflicts with Guidestar data showing a NIS 26 million budget.
- Legal status: The bill’s extension of civilian authority into Areas A and B raises questions about compatibility with the Oslo Accords and the Palestinian Authority’s mandated responsibilities.
Verbatim Quotes
- “One is creating an organized body in charge of our spiritual and cultural treasures in Judea and Samaria, and another is doing it through Israeli legislation.” — Amit Halevi, MK (Likud)
- “In essence, this proposal removes the authority of the military commander, taking away his powers,” — Ayala Roash, Attorney, Defense Ministry
- “The Israel Antiquities Authority safeguards within it the physical evidence of our existence as the biblical people who returned to their land.” — Amichai Eliyahu, Heritage Minister
- “Today we are investing in preserving our past in order to secure our future, strengthen our hold on the Land of Israel, and pass on to future generations the heritage, identity and historical truth of our people,” — Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister
- “Naomi Linder Kahn, director of the International Division of Regavim, told JNS her organization was pleased that this “very minimal step” is underway, adding that it is “absolutely ridiculous” that the Israel Antiquities Authority does not have jurisdiction in the area.” — Naomi Linder Kahn, Director, Regavim
Prospective Legislative Timeline
The committee plans to resume deliberations on Sunday, with the aim of forwarding the final text to the plenary before the Knesset’s anticipated dissolution. If the bill passes its remaining readings, the appointment of Esther Schreiber as IAA head will require cabinet and IAA council approval. Subsequent implementation would depend on the allocation of the NIS 250 million preservation budget and the establishment of the new heritage authority.
