UNESCO lists Church of Nativity as heritage site

[rug]

(AFP, June 29, 2012)

Saint Petersburg, Russia - The UN cultural body UNESCO overrode Israeli objections Friday to urgently grant world heritage status to a church in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem worshipped as the birthplace of Jesus.

UNESCO's 13-6 secret vote to add the Church of the Nativity and its pilgrimage route to the prestigious list was received with a round of rousing applause and a celebratory fist pump by the beaming head of the Palestinian delegation at the meeting in Russia's second city of Saint Petersburg.

"These sites are threatened with total destruction through the Israeli occupation, through the building of the separation wall, because of all the Israeli sanctions and the measures that have been taken to stifle the Palestinian identity," the Palestinian delegate said after the vote.

The Israeli delegate said the Jewish state supported awarding world heritage status to the ancient church under a completely different procedure that carried no implications for the Middle East peace process.

http://wwrn.org/articles/37605/

[cbayer]

1. I don't really understand how this impacts on the middle east peace process,

as stated in the article.

[COLGATE4]

2. Another posting here on DU on the same

topic pointed out that some Palestinians believe this will somehow bring them closer to their idea of a separate Palestinian State. I don't see how, but whatever...

[Scootaloo]

3. Read the whole article, with an open eye

"The decision taken now was totally political and does great damage in our opinion to the (UN) convention and its image," the delegate said.

Basically, every time a decision comes up that doesn't kow-tow to whatever it is Israel wants, exactly how Israel wants it, Israel's delegates start stomping around and claiming that the decision is a "threat to peace," and "does great damage," or of course, the new favorite bullshit line, "is an attempt to de-legitmatize Israel" or whatever.

Israel said the "emergency basis" status essentially meant that the United Nations as a world body was backing the Palestinian view that the church was threatened by the Jewish state's troops.

See? There's the "de-legitmatizing Israel" argument right there.

Basically the Israelis are like snot-nosed toddlers who have learned that throwing a tantrum will be rewarded with candy.

Anyway. Good on UNESCO in preserving a rather notable historical site, despite the stomping and screaming of the children in the audience.