12 Palestinian sites added to UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

The Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Thursday that 12 new Palestinian sites have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, in cooperation with the Permanent Delegation of the State of Palestine to UNESCO. This brings the total number of Palestinian sites on the tentative list to 23. The ministry emphasised that this achievement reflects national efforts to enhance the presence of Palestinian heritage internationally, highlighting the country’s cultural and natural diversity and reinforcing its status as an inseparable part of global human heritage. The ministry noted that inclusion on the tentative list is a crucial step in preparing nomination files for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This development comes amid a dangerous escalation by occupation forces targeting Palestinian heritage sites. The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to continuing efforts to document and protect Palestinian cultural heritage, despite the challenges facing heritage and archaeological sites, to ensure their preservation for future generations.