The Israeli army, Wednesday, provided cover for dozens of extremist Israeli settlers to invade the archeological site in Sebastia, north of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank, according to a local official.
Mayor of Sebastia, Mohammad Azzem told Palestinian WAFA News Agency that while illegal Israeli colonists stormed the ancient location, Israeli soldiers fired tear-gas canisters and concussion grenades, no injuries were reported.
Azzem pointed out that Israeli colonialist settlers have urged others to storm the site often, with the intention of claiming rights to the sacred site.
Israeli soldiers, along with settlers recurrently invade this plot of land, while Palestinian authorities have no security rights over the site.
The Sebastia archeological site, is under Palestinian civil control and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control, as categorized under the Oslo Accords, as it is located in “Area B’ which makes up 22% of the occupied West Bank.
Image: Palestine Chronicle
