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Ancient Palestinian Village Threatened by Israeli Settlement

The ancient village of Sebastia is losing tourism and agricultural income due to a neighboring Israeli settlement leaking raw sewage onto its fields and failing to protect historical sites, reports Dalia Hatuqa.
Palestinians look at water in an overflowing stream in the West Bank village of Al-Nassariyeh near Nablus January 8, 2013. REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini (WEST BANK - Tags: ENVIRONMENT) - RTR3C7WK

Less than ten miles outside the northern West Bank city of Nablus lies a sleepy town with an ancient and little-known history embedded in its ancient temple, tower and columns. Sebastia, according to Christian tradition, is where the body of John the Baptist was found, and during the Crusades, a cathedral was built over his tomb. Years later, Muslims returning to the area under the rule of Salah al-Din transformed the cathedral into a mosque.

The town also contains Roman, Herodian, medieval and Byzantine relics and ruins, which, peppered among the olive groves, makes it an ideal destination for Palestinian visitors and tourists alike. During the spring, one can visit the Basilica and forum, temple, stadium and a theater dating back to the Roman era, followed by a respite under the olive trees.

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