UN: Israel 'Heritage Sites' Are On Palestinian Land

[Purveyor]

The United Nations is concerned over Israel's recent decision to include two West Bank holy sites in a planned "heritage trail, Robert Serry, the UN's special coordinator for the Middle East said on Monday.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday announced the inclusion of the Biblical Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem and The Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron on the list. The two sites are sacred to Jews and Muslims.

"I'm concerned over the proclamation made over the sites in Bethlehem and Hebron," Serry said, adding that "those sites are in Palestinian territory and bear an importance no only in Judaism but in Islam as well."

The special Mideast coordinator also warned that the de facto "implementation of the government's decision could harm trust between the two sides and hurt the efforts to renew talks."

Serry's comments came as Palestinians accused earlier Monday the plan to include the biblical Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank in a project for rehabilitating Jewish and Zionist heritage sites, an attempt to seize land and holy sites on Israeli-occupied land.

Following an outburst of violence in Hebron, where the tomb is located, Khaled Esseleh, the mayor of Hebron, said: "I'm hoping there won't be more clashes but this is a very sensitive religious issue, and Netanyahu just lit the fire."

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http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1151539.html

[shergald]

1. As if Netanyahu gave a shit who's land it is.

[provis99]

2. silly UN.

Most of Israel is built on Palestinian land; so what's their point?

[oberliner]

3. Which parts are not? nt