At a recent UN conference, the 12,000-year-old Tell es-Sultan archaeological site near Jericho, on the West Bank, was listed as a World Heritage Site “in Palestine.” This decision angered Israeli heritage bosses, who do not recognize Palestine as a state.
The Tell es-Sultan archaeological site is located near Jericho, on the West Bank, in a territory that is administered by the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority . With a history dating back almost 12,000 years, to the Natufian period, the site is regarded as one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.
Because the site is located on the West Bank, at a recent UNESCO meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it was listed as “a World Heritage Site in Palestine,” becoming the very first ancient site on Arab land to receive this recognition. According to Times of Israel , in response, Israel’s foreign ministry said on Sunday that UNESCO had made a “distorted decision” after falling for “a cynical ploy by the Palestinians to politicize UNESCO”.
What Exactly Is Being Disputed?
Located around 2 kilometers (1.2 m) from Jericho, Tell es-Sultan is an oval-shaped earthen mound that around 12,000-years-ago supported one of the world’s first-known villages. A permanent settlement emerged by the 9th to 8th millennium BC due to the site’s fertile oasis soil, and its access to constant water supplies. Archaeologists also discovered skulls and statues at the…
