28 June - 4 July 2001
Issue No.540
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 28 June - 4 July 2001 Issue No.540 |
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Shot down
ISRAELI manoeuvres to name several Palestinian archaeological sites on UNESCO's list of so-called world heritage sites were dealt a death blow at a UNESCO conference earlier this week, Omayma Abdel-Latif reports from Paris. The bureau of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) voted against a request re-submitted by Israel to inscribe the site of Mount Zion -- commonly known in Arabic as Gabal El-Nabi Dawoud, or Mount David -- along with other Jerusalem sites as world heritage sites under Israel. The WHC, which holds its 25th session 25-30 June, refused to consider the request because the site is located in a contested area."The WHC convention does not recognise, in any way, the sovereignty of Israel over the site. Therefore, the request was shelved," Munir Bouchnaki, UNESCO assistant director- general for cultural and heritage affairs, told Al-Ahram Weekly hours after the closed meeting ended. The Israeli request was the latest in a series of attempts to obfuscate Palestinian heritage in the occupied territories and make claims on manifestations of Arab culture in the old city. There was near consensus among WHC members that the issue should not be considered until a political settlement is reached.
According to Oda Lehmann, who is in charge of the Jerusalem file at UNESCO, 34 years of Israeli occupation have left the monuments of the old city in "very bad condition."
Death by air
AN IRAQI military statement yesterday accused US and British warplanes of violating Iraqi air space on Monday, attacking service and civil installations in the Basra province and killing three people. The Iraq News Agency (INA) reported there were six sorties from Saudi Arabia and five from Kuwait.Meanwhile, a Russian decision to block a US-British proposal to amend Iraqi sanctions has left oil traders guessing whether it will bring an end to Iraq's oil exports. The Security Council held an open session on Tuesday and will continue discussions on the oil-for- food programme today.
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