In a captivating decision made during the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the ancient city of Jericho, nestled in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, has been bestowed the prestigious title of a World Heritage site. This historic designation is a testament to Jericho’s enduring legacy, as its ruins trace back to the ninth millennium BC, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities globally.
Jericho now proudly joins the esteemed ranks of three other “UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Palestine,” including the Church of the Nativity and the sacred pilgrimage route in Bethlehem, the culturally rich landscape of southern Jerusalem and the picturesque Battir, as well as the Old City in Hebron.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs warmly welcomed this recognition, hailing it as a well-deserved acknowledgment of Jericho’s profound cultural, economic, and political significance.
However, the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its disapproval, viewing the decision as a politicization of UNESCO and denouncing the move as a sign of the Palestinians’ cynical manipulation of the organization. It pledged to work alongside its many allies within UNESCO to address what it perceives as flawed decisions.
Amidst this prestigious honor, other sites from the MENA region, such as the captivating Hyrcanian Forests stretching across Azerbaijan and Iran and the evocative Persian Caravanserai in Iran, have also been named on the illustrious UNESCO World Heritage List for 2023. The committee’s evaluations will continue until September 20, combining nominations from both last year and this year, further enriching the world’s cultural tapestry.
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