PA Tells UNESCO Dead Sea an Arab ’Heritage Site’
November 2, 2011The Palestinian Authority (PA) intends to use its new UNESCO membership to claim the Dead Sea as a “heritage site.” It also is using the “New Seven Wonders” contest to claim part of the “lowest point on Earth.”
Bethlehem, Hevron, and other ancient Jewish sites in Judea and Samaria also are on the Authority’s list to become PA heritage sites.
PA Antiquities and Culture official Hamdan Taha said the PA’s non-member status was behind UNESCO’s rejection of a request last year to declare the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem as a heritage site.
“This is a simple example of how Palestine has not been able to preserve its cultural heritage through the tools granted to every state in the world,” Taha said. Although the church is clearly a Christian site, and Christians have been brutally driven out of Bethlehem in recent years, PA historians claim that Jesus was a Palestinian.
“We expect that after Bethlehem, other sites will follow,” Taha told Reuters.
One of them is Hevron, where the ancient Biblical Patriarchs’ Cave has been claimed by Muslims as being exclusive to Islam. Arab officials in Hevron are preparing to file for the nomination of the old city, he added.
In recent years, Muslim clerics have given a novel twist to clear Biblical language concerning the “Binding of Isaac (Yitzchak.)” They argue that it actually was Ishmael, son of Avraham and his maidservant Hagar, whom Avraham offered as a sacrifice as an act of faith until G-d commanded him not to do so.
The Dead Sea has taken prominence on the PA list of heritage sites because of the New Seven World Wonders contest, which the PA said Tuesday it has joined “to prevent Israel having an opportunity to claim full control,” according to the PA’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
The PA did not explain what its historical connections are with the Dead Sea, which is listed in the Bible as part of the Promised Land. The area also is where the ancient Jewish Dead Sea Scrolls were found.
Israel developed the Dead Sea that was within the boundaries established in 1948 while Jordan, which occupied most of the Dead Sea’s coastal area until the Six-Day War in 1967, did not make any significant investments.
PA Tourism Minister Khloud Daibes explained that its participation in the campaign would “confirm our right and ownership of part of the Dead Sea and to prevent Israel having an opportunity to claim full control,” a statement from the Palestinian Authority press office said.
She admitted that the PA will not win any immediate gain if the Dead Sea wins as one of the New Seven World Wonders, claiming that “Israel prevents us from benefitting from it or using it for tourism promotion and investment.”
The PA’s strategy parallels to a certain extent its attempt for membership in the United Nations to give it an image of legitimacy through its request to become a full member of the international body. The tactic violates the Oslo Accords that require a state to be established through direct negotiations with Israel.
Similarly, the PA reasons that helping the Dead Sea win a place on the list of the world’s wonders will “allow for Palestinians to invest in tourism and use of its natural resources in the panoramic and historical site.”
The final day of voting in the worldwide competition is November 11.
Similar posts
-
Israel Is Held To A Higher Standard Than Any Country
April 25, 2024In the intricate tapestry of global affairs, one nation stands out for enduring scrutiny and condem...
-
Israel Has The Most Moral Military In The World
April 10, 2024In the heart of a region often riddled with conflict, Israel stands out not only for its technologi...
-
The Resilience of the Israeli People
April 2, 2024Visitors from around the world have seen Hamas's October 7th Massacre's destruction in southern Isr...
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...