Fears Israeli forces turning Sebastia into garrison to 'Judaize' site

Israeli forces have turned the historic town of Sebastia, northwest of Nablus, into a military garrison amid fears that it could be annexed and its archaeological heritage "Judaized", local officials warned on Wednesday.

The large-scale raid, described as the most intense since the first Palestinian Intifada in 1987, has seen homes seized, streets locked down, and residents terrorised for two consecutive days.

"For the second day in a row, Israeli forces have stormed Sebastia in an unprecedented manner since 1987," said Mohammad Azem, the town’s mayor, to The New Arab's Arabic edition Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

 "The historic town may face days, perhaps weeks, of siege and raids," he added.

Azem said the operation began Tuesday at Sebastia's archaeological site, where troops expelled shopkeepers and closed tourism kiosks before expanding into the Old Town. Snipers were deployed on rooftops, dozens of homes were raided, and residents were interrogated in the streets.

By Wednesday, around 40 homes had been searched and vandalised, he added.

One resident, Rassem al-Shaer, was ordered to vacate his three-storey home near the site so soldiers could convert it into a military post. He and his elderly mother were confined to the ground floor while the upper levels were occupied by troops.

Although no official curfew was declared, Azem said soldiers were enforcing one by assaulting anyone found outside. Shops were shuttered, municipal offices stormed, and drones hovered overhead.

Azem linked the raid to recent Israeli decisions regarding Sebastia’s archaeological site, which covers 40 percent of the town.

"In the last five months, excavations and digging at the site have intensified, and antiquities have been stolen," he said, warning that Israel plans to place the site under its Antiquities Authority, build a military tower, and seize 1,800 dunams of land.

Sebastia's history dates back to the Bronze Age and includes landmarks such as a Roman amphitheatre, a Greek tower, King Omri's palace, the Church of John the Baptist, and the Temple of Augustus.