Regavim Warns PA Project is Destroying Second Temple-Era Ancient Village in Samaria
An urgent letter by the Regavim movement reveals pirate development at a Second Temple-era archaeological site that preserves the ancient name of "Peresh" -a descendant of Menashe.
The Regavim movement has issued an urgent letter to enforcement authorities demanding an immediate halt to large-scale agricultural incursions being carried out at the ancient archaeological site of "Khirbet Farsin." The site sits on state lands located about one kilometer from the Israeli community of Hermesh in Northern Samaria.
According to data and observations compiled by the movement's field coordinators, the operation constitutes a takeover of four adjacent plots within the historically significant site. Khirbet Farsin contains antiquities and remains dating back approximately 2,000 years to the Second Temple period. The site preserves the biblical name "Peresh" (from the descendants of Menashe) and the Talmudic name "Kfar Parshai." Archaeological discoveries at the location include a ritual bath (mikveh), burial caves, underground systems, and impressive structures from the Ottoman period.
Accelerated Destructive Development
In its letter, Regavim attached aerial photographs demonstrating that development work, including land clearing and road pioneering, originally began in 2021. However, over the past two years, the pace of the takeover has accelerated aggressively.
The entire area has now undergone extensive agricultural cultivation, including plowing, planting, and massive fencing. Alongside the agricultural encroachment, illegal structures have been built in the adjacent space.
The development is being executed using heavy engineering machinery without any archaeological supervision. Regavim warns that these actions are causing irreversible damage to historical subterranean layers and constitute the deliberate destruction of national heritage assets.
"An Open History Book is Being Erased"
Yossi Dagan, Chairman of the Samaria Regional Council, responded sharply to the findings:
"The heritage and archaeological sites in Samaria are a national treasure that tells the story of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel over thousands of years. Khirbet Farsin is a site of extraordinary historical and archaeological importance, and we must act to preserve and protect it.I call upon all responsible bodies to mobilize to preserve the site, protect the antiquities and state lands, and ensure that future generations can know, learn, and connect to the glorious heritage buried in the soil of Samaria. An open history book is being erased. The authorities must overturn the table!"
Roy Drucker, Regavim’s Judea and Samaria District Manager, added: "We are witnessing a widespread and destructive phenomenon of wild tramping over historical heritage sites in Judea and Samaria. Enforcement authorities must act immediately against the erasure of tradition and the attempted takeover of dozens of dunams in the area. The authorities must stop this lawlessness in the region immediately."