Israel plans to seize parts of a key occupied West Bank historical site, according to a government document, as settlers put up a new outpost there overnight in the latest instance of Israeli theft of Palestinian land.

Thursday’s development comes as Israel faces international pressure to crack down on rampant settler violence being carried out with impunity, and often with the military’s backing, in the Palestinian territory.

Israel’s Civil Administration announced its intention to expropriate large swaths of Sebastia, a major Roman-era archaeological site in the occupied West Bank.

Peace Now, an anti-settlement watchdog, said the site is about 1,800 dunams (180 hectares or 450 acres) – and would become Israel’s largest seizure of archaeologically significant land.

The Israeli order r

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