The Israeli government on Wednesday approved a 250 million shekel ($85.5 million) plan to develop and preserve heritage sites across Judea and Samaria, the Jordan Valley and the Judean Desert.
“Almost every stone and heritage site contains thousands of years of Jewish history. We are investing in preserving our past to secure our future and pass on our heritage to future generations,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The initiative will fund preservation, development and accessibility of antiquities and heritage sites, establish regional heritage centers, expand tourism infrastructure and increase enforcement against the theft and destruction of antiquities in the area. The centers are intended to serve as hubs for research, education and tourism, alongside multi-year upgrades to visitor infrastructure aimed at attracting Israeli and international visitors.
“The Judea and Samaria region is the heart of our ancestral land and the place where Jewish history was written. We will continue developing tourism and making sites accessible to millions of visitors,” said Tourism Minister Haim Katz.
The plan highlights a number of key heritage sites. These include Tel Shiloh, traditionally identified with the biblical site of Shiloh and an early center of Israelite worship; the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, regarded as the burial place of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs; and Herodium, the fortified palace complex built by King Herod near Bethlehem.
In Samaria, Sebastia preserves extensive remains from the Israelite, Roman and Byzantine periods, while the Judean Desert includes Qumran, associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls. The list also includes Mount Gerizim near Shechem (Nablus), a site of major religious significance for the Samaritan community with substantial archaeological remains.
Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu said: “This is a Zionist and historical decision. After years in which sites were neglected or looted, Israel is making historical corrections. We are investing in preserving our history and connecting future generations to the Jewish heritage of the land.”
