Tel Aviv, Israel – In a new provocative move reflecting the extreme right’s efforts to impose sovereignty over Palestinian territories, Israeli Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu claimed that the occupied West Bank is “part of the Land of Israel.”
He also posted a video showing him raising the Israeli flag on a strategic hilltop in the Jordan Valley.
Eliyahu from the summit of “Sartaba”: “We are reclaiming what is ours”
The minister, a member of the extremist Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, posted a picture on Twitter showing him atop Mount Qurnat Sartaba, which rises approximately 650 meters above the Jordan Valley.
In the post, Eliyahu commented, “For the first time, the Israeli flag has been raised on this summit… We are reclaiming what is ours.”
The minister announced plans to hold a Jewish religious ceremony (lighting torches) at the summit in early April.
This is seen as part of ongoing efforts to Judaize archaeological sites. Moreover, it is intended to alter their historical character.
The importance of the location and the significance of the step
Mount Qarn Sartaba is located in the Jordan Valley, midway between the cities of Beit She’an and Jericho.
It is one of the most prominent archaeological sites overlooking the Jordan Valley. The area is classified as Area C.
This area constitutes 61% of the West Bank and is under full Israeli security and administrative control.
Observers believe this move is part of the current coalition government’s “silent annexation” plan.
This is being implemented by legalizing settlement outposts. In addition, the government is raising Israeli flags on mountaintops to impose a new geographical reality that will be difficult to reverse in any future settlement.
Amichai Eliyahu is known for his radical positions.
He previously sparked widespread international condemnation in 2023 after calling for the use of “nuclear bombs” against the Gaza Strip.
This reinforces concerns that his actions in the West Bank aim to ignite a confrontation and forcibly change the status quo.
