TheprojectbeganwiththeoccupationofMasudiyastationbyGushEmunim,anIsraelisettlerorganization,whichledtotheSebastiaagreement.TheSebastiaagreementisadocumentsignedbetweenGushEmunimandtheIsraeligovernmentthatlegitimatesthesettlementmovementbytheIsraeligovernmenteventhoughitisillegalunderinternationallaw.ItwasaturningpointthatopenedupthenorthernpartoftheWestBankforJewishsettlement.ThestationwasontheHejazrailroad,whichoriginallyconnectedtheMiddleEast,Turkey,Lebanon,SyriaandEgypt.TheGushEmunimoccupationofthestationisnotonlyanentrypointtofurtherlandgrabsinthenorthernWestBankbutalsoaforeshadowingoffurthercontrolofPalestinianaccesstotheirownlandsintheareaasisthecaseinSebastia,anarchaeologicalsiteandlivingvillagenorthwestofNablusintheWestBank.