The Appropriation of Palestinian Cultural and Material Heritage: Hebrew Sources and Israeli Policies Towards Archaeological Sites in Palestine

Abstract

Using extensive Hebrew and Israeli sources, this article investigates Israeli policies toward Palestinian archaeological and cultural heritage, focusing on the politicisation of archaeology as a tool of territorial control and identity erasure. Drawing on fieldwork, archival research, and analysis of Israeli and Palestinian documentation, the study reveals systematic efforts of destruction, Judaisation, and cultural marginalisation affecting over 530 depopulated villages since 1948. It highlights how official heritage initiatives have facilitated the erasure of Islamic and Christian monuments while privileging Jewish narratives. The research underscores the political role of archaeology in reshaping historical and spatial identities and calls for stronger international frameworks to safeguard endangered Palestinian heritage, particularly in light of developments preceding the 2023–2025 war.