The Associated Press reported Sunday that UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has recognized Jericho's antiquities as a World Heritage Site in "Palestine." The vote took place at a meeting of the committee in Riyadh, which was also attended by a delegation from Israel, in a precedent-setting manner.
The decision was expected, and sparked anger in Israel. The Knesset's Eretz Israel Caucus held a meeting in Tel Jericho earlier this month, during which Minister Orit Struk (Religious Zionism) addressed the committee: "We appeal to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay: Do not take upon yourself this disgrace. Don't reward heritage destroyers."
Knesset members in Tel Jericho protesting the recognition of the site as a Palestinian heritage site // Eretz Israel lobby
Israel withdrew from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) over what it sees as its anti-Israel bias. In 2017, UNESCO declared the Cave of the Patriarchs a Palestinian heritage site, despite the fact that according to tradition, the nation's forefathers are buried there, leading at the time to Israeli outrage over the decision.
A year earlier, UNESCO decided to define Jerusalem as important to the three monotheistic religions, but defined the Temple Mount and the Western Wall plaza as a holy Muslim site. Despite this, Israel remained a member of the World Heritage Committee.
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