On Feb. 8, 2026, the Israeli Cabinet authorized a series of measures that will cement Israeli oversight regarding environmental hazards, water violations and the protection of archaeological heritage sites in areas A and B of Judea and Samaria. This policy transition coincides with the legislative advancement of the “Judea and Samaria Heritage Authority Bill,” which passed its first reading in early February. The bill establishes a civilian statutory corporation to replace the military-led Staff Officer for Archaeology. It is governed by a nine-member council appointed directly by the Minister of Heritage, a structural change that removes archaeological oversight from the Defense Ministry’s chain of command and places it under civilian ministerial control.

The Authority’s mandate includes sweeping powers of expropriation for both artifacts and the land they occupy, specifically for “protection, conservation, research, and development.” Unlike the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) within the Green Line, this body is empowered to enter Palestinian-governed municipalities to seize stolen items or halt construction deemed a threat to heritage sites. During the final committee debates, Knesset member Zvi Sukkot, chairman of the Education, Culture, and Sports Committee, defined the ideological imperative of the new body, stating, “it is our duty to protect [Jewish heritage]” across the entirety of Judea and Samaria.

By establishing this civilian framework, the government has created a permanent administrative apparatus designed to bypass Oslo-era restrictions and assert direct Israeli responsibility for the historical sites of Judea and Samaria.