UNESCO lists ancient site near Jericho as World Heritage site in Palestine

United Nations World Heritage Committee decided to list ancient ruins in the West Bank as “World Heritage Site in Palestine.”

The site “Ancient Jericho/Tell es-Sultan”, located in the Jordan Valley, is an oval-shaped tell that contains the prehistorical deposits of human activity.

Jericho is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, and is also considered important in Jewish history, with a synagogue dating back to the first century BCE.

“A permanent settlement had emerged here by the 9th to 8th millennium BC, due to the fertile soil of the oasis and easy access to water. Skulls and statues found on the site testify to cultic practices amongst the Neolithic populations living there, and the Early Bronze Age archaeological material shows signs of urban planning. Vestiges from the Middle Bronze Age reveal the presence of a large Canaanite city-state occupied by a socially complex population,” UNESCO said on its website.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry raged against the decision, saying Israel considers the  decision “another sign of the cynical use the Palestinians are making of UNESCO and the organisation’s politicisation. Israel will act with its many friends in the organisation to change the flawed decisions made.”

The Palestinian Authority meanwhile welcomed UNESCO’s decision, with President Abbas saying that it “testifies to the authenticity and history of the Palestinian people. The state of Palestine is committed to preserving this unique site for the benefit of mankind.”

Jericho is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, and is also considered important in Jewish history, with a synagogue dating back to the first century BCE.

In 2019, Israel left UNESCO, accusing the body of being anti-Israel. Then ambassador to UN, Danny Danon, told Times of Israel at the time that “UNESCO is a body that continually rewrites history, including by erasing the Jewish connection to Jerusalem.”

“It is corrupted and manipulated by Israel’s enemies, and continually singles out the only Jewish state for condemnation. We are not going to be a member of an organisation that deliberately acts against us,” He added.