Palestinian Authority pushes UNESCO to bypass Israel's management of West Bank heritage sites
Palestinian officials accuse Israel of altering cultural heritage policies, while a new PLO report links archaeological oversight to settlement expansion
The Palestinian Authority has launched a new initiative with UNESCO aimed at challenging Israel's management of archaeological and historical sites in the West Bank, its representative to the UN cultural agency announced on Saturday.
Speaking to Voice of Palestine radio, Adel Attieh said the initiative seeks to encourage UNESCO to intervene against what the Palestinian Authority describes as Israeli actions that threaten Palestinian cultural heritage. He specifically cited the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Attieh argued that international law prohibits Israel from making structural changes to the site or its surrounding area. He also accused Israel of promoting its own historical narrative by emphasizing the ancient Jewish connection to archaeological sites across the West Bank.
Meanwhile, a report published by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) criticized Israel's administration of historical and archaeological sites in the West Bank, describing it as part of a broader policy linked to settlement expansion. The report also condemned legislation passed by the Knesset in mid-May that establishes a new authority responsible for overseeing heritage sites in the territory.