NABLUS, Thursday, November 05, 2020 (WAFA) – The Sebastia archeological site in the north of the West Bank was today declared by the Israeli army off-limit to Palestinians while made accessible to Israeli settlers only, according to Sebastia mayor Mohammad Azem.

He told WAFA that a large unit of Israeli occupation forces stormed the village of Sebastia and prevented access for Palestinian residents to the archeological site.

He added that dozens of Israeli settlers, under Israeli army protection, were allowed access to the Palestinian archeological site, a situation that recurs often.

Azem said also that Israel has been trying to force the municipality to remove a large Palestinian flag hoisted in the village, which is classified as Area B according to the Oslo accords, that is under Israeli military control and Palestinian civilian administration, under the pretext the flag provokes the settlers, whose presences in the village and at the site is also a provocation to the Palestinian residents.

M.K.