World Heritage Committee Approves Itemizing Historic Jericho Ruins as a World Heritage Web site in Palestine

A U.N. convention held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has voted to designate the ruins of the traditional West Financial institution metropolis of Jericho as a World Heritage Web site in Palestine. Israel, which controls the territory and doesn’t acknowledge a Palestinian state, is more likely to be angered by this resolution. Jericho is among the oldest constantly inhabited cities on the planet and is situated in part of the Israeli-occupied West Financial institution that’s administered by the internationally acknowledged Palestinian Authority. The designation particularly refers back to the Tel es-Sultan archaeological website, which accommodates ruins relationship again to the ninth millennium B.C. The choice was made by the U.N. World Heritage Committee below the auspices of UNESCO.

It’s value noting that Israel withdrew from UNESCO in 2019, accusing the group of bias in opposition to it and undermining its connection to the Holy Land. Israel additionally objected to UNESCO accepting Palestine as a member state in 2011. Nevertheless, Israel stays a celebration to the World Heritage Conference and despatched a delegation to the convention in Riyadh.

The West Financial institution, together with Gaza and East Jerusalem, was captured by Israel within the 1967 Mideast battle. The Palestinians aspire to have all three territories as a part of their future state. Israel considers the West Financial institution to be the biblical and cultural heartland of the Jewish folks. Sadly, there have been no substantial peace negotiations in over a decade, and Israel is at the moment ruled by its most nationalist and non secular authorities in historical past, making any progress in the direction of Palestinian statehood seemingly unlikely.

Jericho, as a contemporary metropolis, is a big vacationer attraction within the Palestinian territories on account of its historic websites and its proximity to the Useless Sea. In 2021, the Palestinian Authority unveiled in depth renovations to one of many largest mosaics within the Center East, situated in an historical palace in Jericho relationship again to the eighth century.