Dr. Hanan Ashrawi: World must intervene to stop Israeli plunder of Palestinian archeological sites
The Israeli occupation authorities’ decision to confiscate Deir Samaan and Dei Qal’a, two important archeological sites in the Salfit area, is an act of looting and cultural appropriation.
It is the final step in a gradual yet deliberate scheme that has continued over nearly ten years with the intention of annexing these two sites to nearby illegal settlements.
Other historical sites, including Sebastia and the Battir Terraces, which is inscribed as a World Heritage site, have also been targeted recently.
The systematic Israeli theft of archeological sites across Palestine is illegal and immoral.
These sites stand as testament to the Palestinian people’s deep roots and history in our land. They are part of our history and identity. That is why Israel’s systematic annexation of historic and archeological sites is the ultimate act of cruelty and aggression.
Israel’s colonial regime strives to systematically usurp Palestinian archeological sites, as part of its drive to colonize Palestinian land and replace the Palestinian people.
In addition to assaulting the Palestinian people’s present and hijacking their future, this regime wants to confiscate our collective past and historical narrative.
As the Trump administration employs its political and economic weight to extort international political rewards for Israel, the Israeli government is accelerating its systematic and willful annexation of Palestinian land, resources, and cultural heritage.
Ignoring these destructive acts will not diminish their strategic impact on Palestinian rights.
States and international organizations, especially UNESCO, must intervene to put an end to such plunder. Click here to read the full release online.
Ray Hanania is an award winning political and humor columnist who analyzes American and Middle East politics, and life in general. He is an author of several books.
Hanania covered Chicago Politics and Chicago City Hall from 1976 through 1992 at the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Sun-Times. He began writing in 1975 publishing The Middle Eastern Voice newspaper in Chicago (1975-1977). He later published “The National Arab American Times” newspaper (2004-2007).
Hanania writes weekly columns on Middle East and American Arab issues as Special US Correspondent for the Arab News ArabNews.com, at TheArabDailyNews.com, and at SuburbanChicagoland.com. He has published weekly columns in the Jerusalem Post newspaper, YNetNews.com, Newsday, the Orlando Sentinel, Houston Chronical, and Arlington Heights Daily Herald.
Hanania is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club “Peter Lisagor Awards” for Column writing. In November 2006, he was named “Best Ethnic American Columnist” by the New American Media. In 2009, Hanania received the prestigious Sigma Delta Chi Award for Writing from the Society of Professional Journalists. He is the recipient of the MT Mehdi Courage in Journalism Award. He was honored for his writing skills with two (2) Chicago Stick-o-Type awards from the Chicago Newspaper Guild. In 1990, Hanania was nominated by the Chicago Sun-Times editors for a Pulitzer Prize for his four-part series on the Palestinian Intifada.
His writings have also been honored by two national Awards from ADC for his writing, and from the National Arab American Journalists Association.
Hanania is the US Special Correspondent for the Arab News Newspaper, covering Middle East and Arab American issues. He writes for the Southwest News newspaper group writing on mainstream American issues.
Click here to send Ray Hanania email.
Follow RayHanania on Gettr.com, the uncensored Twitter Ray Hanania on Gettr, the new Twitter
- Israelisnipers shooting and killing hospital workers in Gaza - December 11, 2023
- CAIR Condemns Israeli Executions of Wounded, Unarmed Palestinian in West Bank - December 11, 2023
- Arab and Muslim American voters face a “simple choice” between Biden’s inhumanity and Trump’s edgy politics - December 9, 2023
