DY: To give a correct Halachic answer that Avi probably doesn’t know, it’s because we were never Machzik Lebanon as part of E”Y post-Galus Bavel. Anything that we have been Machzik has Kedushas HaAretz. Those that we haven’t don’t.
(It’s debatable whether Kibbush/Chazakah by the current Medinah acquires Kedushas HaAretz, but everything I said is certainly true by the what Olei Bavel were Machzik.)