UNESCO lists Nativity Church as ‘endangered’
Palestinian push for designation creates tension
The Palestinians persuaded the UN cultural agency Friday to list the Church of the Nativity, the place where Christians believe Jesus was born, as an endangered World Heritage site, despite misgivings by churches in charge of the basilica.
The Palestinians hailed the nod by UNESCO as a step forward in their quest for global recognition of an independent Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967.
The centuries-old basilica is located in a part of the Israelioccupied West Bank where the Palestinians have self-rule. They see UNESCO’S decision as a validation of their rights to the territory.
“We are ecstatic,” said Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian spokeswoman.
The Palestinians had argued the shrine faces imminent danger, because of overdue repairs and Israel’s continued occupation of the West Bank.
Israel and the U.S. strongly opposed the emergency bid, arguing the church is not under threat, a position backed by a UN experts committee.
Israeli officials have said they do not object to the church being listed, but reject the “endangered” label, implying culpability of Israel, which in practice remains the ultimate sovereign in the West Bank.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said the Palestinians are “engaging in unilateral actions that only distance peace” and UNESCO is driven by political considerations.
David Killion, the U.S. ambassador to UNESCO, said Washington was “profoundly disappointed” by the vote.
The U.S. has been trying to block the Palestinian recognition campaign, and withdrew tens of millions of dollars in funding after the Paris-based agency accepted the Palestinians as a state member last year.
Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority president, says negotiations with Israel remain his preferred choice, but wants global recognition to improve his leverage. An attempt to win full UN membership has stalled, but meanwhile Palestinians are pushing for membership in UN agencies.
In their first move at UNESCO, they submitted the Nativity Church and a nearby pilgrimage route as endangered heritage sites, asking to fast-track the nomination rather than go through the normal 18-month procedure.
They argued the church is in urgent need of repairs, particularly a leaky wooden roof. Palestinian officials said foreign donors promised US$20-million for the work, but have paid only US$3-million, not enough to get started. They also argue Israel’s continued control over the area threatens the site.
A decade ago, when Israel launched a major offensive against Palestinian militants, the church was caught in the crossfire: Palestinian gunmen holed up inside for more than a month, with Israeli tanks and troops surrounding the shrine.
Referring to the violent standoff Friday, Mr. Netanyahu blamed the Palestinians.
“The world needs to remember that the Church of the Nativity that is so sacred to Christianity was desecrated in the past by Palestinian terrorists,” he said.
The churches in charge of the shrine — Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian — also expressed concern, apparently fearing a World Heritage designation would lead to interference by the Palestinian government and the UN.
The church is run according to a 19th-century set of rules, which assigns responsibilities for upkeep that are jealously guarded by each denomination.
Palestinian officials say they have addressed the concerns by the churches.
In Bethlehem’s Manger Square, next to the shrine, reaction was relatively muted.
A celebration organized by local officials only brought several dozen people to the square, including youngsters in yellow T-shirts with the inscription “I love Jesus.”
Rula Ma’ayah, the Palestinian Tourism Minister, said she hopes the new heritage listing will bring more visitors. Currently, some 100,000 tourists come to Bethlehem every month.