{"id":1959,"date":"2026-08-05T03:30:08","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T03:30:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asianewscast.com\/?p=1959"},"modified":"2026-08-05T03:30:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T03:30:09","slug":"israel-approves-37m-to-seize-more-than-70-occupied-west-bank-sites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asianewscast.com\/?p=1959","title":{"rendered":"Israel approves $37m to seize more than 70 occupied West Bank sites"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__divider\">\n<div class=\"listen-to-article\"><button class=\"listen-to-article__button\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-button\"><title>Listen<\/title>Listen (2 mins)<\/button><\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share__update-reading-list-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"update-reading-list\">\n<p class=\"update-reading-list__button-text\">Save<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"screen-reader-text\">Click here to share on social media<\/div>\n<p><title>share-nodes<\/title><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<div class=\"rich-share__links rich-share__links--row\" data-testid=\"share-links\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__social rich-share__social--row\"><a class=\"rich-share__social-link row\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Facebook\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F2t1eap\"><title>facebook<\/title><\/a><a class=\"rich-share__social-link row\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Twitter\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Israel%20approves%20%2437m%20to%20seize%20more%20than%2070%20occupied%20West%20Bank%20sites&amp;source=sharethiscom&amp;related=sharethis&amp;via=AJEnglish&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F2t1eap\"><title>x<\/title><\/a><a class=\"rich-share__social-link row u-hidden--desktop\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Whatsapp\" href=\"\/\/send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2F2t1eap\"><title>whatsapp-stroke<\/title><\/a><a class=\"rich-share__social-link row copylink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Copy link\" href=\"https:\/\/aje.news\/2t1eap\"><title>copylink<\/title><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"google-preferred-source\"><button class=\"google-preferred-source__button\" aria-label=\"Add Al Jazeera on Google\" data-testid=\"google-preferred-source-button\"><title>google<\/title><span class=\"google-preferred-source__text\">Add Al Jazeera on Google<\/span><\/button><button aria-label=\"See more of Al Jazeera\u2019s trusted journalism by adding us as a preferred source on Google.\" class=\"tooltip-accessible_trigger\"><title>info<\/title><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-featured__media\">\n<figure class=\"article-featured-image\">\n<div class=\"responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/getty_6a6ce5225f-1785521442.jpg?resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"PETZA&apos;EL, WEST BANK - JULY 31: Jewish-Israelis hang out at the ancient archaeological site known as Herod&apos;s Pool on July 31, 2026 near the Israeli settlement of Petza&apos;el, West Bank. Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced plans to invest three million shekels (USD $978,792) to develop an archeological site known by Israeli settlers as &quot;Herod&apos;s Pool,&quot; located on privately-owned Palestinian land near Fasayel, in the Jordan Valley area of the occupied West Bank. The site was recently seized by settlers and made into an informal tourist attraction, filling the pool with water allegedly diverted from Palestinian lands, without permission from the Civil Administration authorities. The announcement of the plan comes after Smotrich threatened in May to seize the historic Solomon&apos;s Pools, near Bethlehem, which are also under Palestinian control. (Photo by Amir Levy\/Getty Images)\"><\/div><figcaption>Israeli settlers pose at an ancient archaeological site near the illegal settlement of Petza&#8217;el, in the occupied West Bank [Amir Levy\/Getty]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-info m--t-20 m--desktop-b-30 m--b-mobile-20\">\n<div class=\"byline byline--single-avatar\">\n<div class=\"avatars-container\"><a class=\"avatar\" aria-hidden=\"true\" href=\"\/author\/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/2017-06-08T131939Z_1189275883_RC11B0FE7F20_RTRMADP_3_GULF-QATAR-JAZEERA-1714943623.jpg?resize=96%2C96&amp;quality=80\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline-content\">\n<div class=\"contributors-list contributors-list--byline\"><span class=\"contributors-list__by-prefix\">By <\/span><a href=\"\/author\/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458\">Al Jazeera Staff<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<div class=\"date-simple\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 5 Aug 2026<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">5 Aug 2026<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wysiwyg wysiwyg--all-content\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p>Israeli Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich has announced a 113 million shekel ($37m) allocation to take control of more than 70 historical sites across the occupied West Bank.<\/p>\n<p>The funding, approved by a government steering committee on Tuesday, builds on a 250 million shekel ($83m) plan approved in May aimed at claiming archaeological sites across the West Bank, the Jordan Valley and the Jerusalem Desert.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 3 items<\/span><\/p>\n<ul class=\"more-on__list\">\n<li class=\"more-on__article\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list 1 of 3<\/span><a class=\"more-on__link\" href=\"\/video\/newsfeed\/2026\/8\/4\/funeral-for-family-killed-in-us-strike-on-irans-qeshm-island\">Funeral for family killed in US strike on Iran\u2019s Qeshm Island<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"more-on__article\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list 2 of 3<\/span><a class=\"more-on__link\" href=\"\/news\/2026\/8\/4\/russia-strikes-ukrainian-capital-kyiv-with-ballistic-missiles\">One killed, 12 injured in Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"more-on__article\"><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list 3 of 3<\/span><a class=\"more-on__link\" href=\"\/news\/2026\/8\/5\/armed-man-arrested-at-trumps-la-golf-course-ahead-of-presidents-visit\">Armed man arrested at Trump\u2019s LA golf course ahead of president\u2019s visit<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>The committee said in a statement that the Settlements Ministry is set to receive 157 million shekels ($52m) in direct funding, along with a further 142 million shekels ($47m) in commitment authorisations.<\/p>\n<p>The new allocation lands on the same day that the Knesset\u2019s Finance Committee separately approved close to 300 million shekels (about $83m) in direct funding and commitments to Israel\u2019s Settlements Ministry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a Zionist act of the highest order. A people without a past has no future,\u201d Smotrich said, describing plans for new visitor centres and research facilities.<\/p>\n<p>Israel designates the landmarks as Jewish heritage locations, as it seeks to extend state control over Palestinian property and territory.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"\/news\/2026\/8\/4\/who-is-behind-settler-violence-in-the-occupied-west-bank\">occupied West Bank<\/a> is home to thousands of archeological and heritage sites, some of which date back hundreds of years.<\/p>\n<p>While Smotrich did not name the specific sites, Palestinian media reported that the plans aim to take over Solomon\u2019s Pools near Bethlehem \u2013 a site Smotrich has previously sought to bring under Israeli control. About 104 settlements and 160 outposts have been approved in the occupied West Bank since 2022, according to Smotrich.<\/p>\n<div class=\"container--ads in-article-ads\">\n<div class=\"ads\"><span class=\"ads__title\"> Advertisement <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law.<\/p>\n<p>Israel\u2019s funding for illegal settlement expansion has continued amid an intensified campaign of settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, with more than 11,000 settler attacks across the region so far this year, according to Palestinian media.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ListenListen (2 mins) Save Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share facebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylink googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Israeli settlers pose at an ancient archaeological site near the illegal settlement of Petza&#8217;el, in the occupied West Bank [Amir Levy\/Getty] By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 5 Aug 20265 Aug 2026 Israeli Minister of Finance [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - 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