Palestine adds 12 sites to UNESCO tentative list
The move brings Palestine’s UNESCO tentative list to 23 sites, an early step before a World Heritage nomination file.
Palestine added 12 historic sites to UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List on Thursday (16/7), bringing the total number of Palestinian sites on the tentative list to 23. The Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said the step was prepared with the Permanent Delegation of the State of Palestine to UNESCO as an initial stage before drafting a nomination dossier for the World Heritage List. Among the sites listed were Sebastia in the northern West Bank, Solomon's Pools south of Bethlehem, and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. Palestinian authorities said the move is important to strengthen protection, preservation and international cooperation amid rising Israeli pressure on heritage sites in the occupied territory.