Decision 41 COM 8B.1

Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town (Palestine)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/17/41.COM/8B.Add.2 and WHC/17/41.COM/INF.8B1.Add.2,
2. Taking note that on 30 January 2017 the World Heritage Centre received a request by the Permanent Delegation of Palestine to process the nomination of Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town for inscription on the World Heritage List in compliance with the standard procedure and that by letter dated 9 March 2017 the Permanent Delegation of Palestine requested to process this nomination on an emergency basis,
3. Taking also note of the provisions under Paragraph 161 of the Operational Guidelines concerning nominations to be processed on an emergency basis, which are to “constitute an emergency situation for which an immediate decision by the Committee is necessary to ensure their safeguarding” and to “unquestionably justify Outstanding Universal Value”,
4. Acknowledging that in its evaluation report of the nomination, ICOMOS states that “the necessary permissions were not forthcoming for travel and access to the Hebron H2 zone, which is under Israel military control, and within which lies the nominated property” and that “in view of the lack of a Field Visit, ICOMOS has not been able to fully evaluate whether the property unquestionably justifies some criteria, conditions of authenticity and integrity and management requirements nor whether recent incidents have drastically increased the level of threats to a degree that the situation may be considered an emergency for which an immediate action by the World Heritage Committee is needed”,
5. Regrets that Israel, the Occupying Power, did not give the necessary permissions for ICOMOS to undertake a Field Visit to the site in order to evaluate the Outstanding Universal Value, the conditions of integrity and authenticity and management requirements of the property;
6. Considers that the nominated property unquestionably justifies criteria (ii), (iv) and (vi) as well as conditions of integrity and authenticity;
7. Also considers that the property is faced with serious threats which could have deleterious effects on its inherent characteristics and for which an immediate action by the World Heritage Committee is needed;
8. Inscribes Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iv) and (vi);
9. Also inscribes Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town on the World Heritage List in Danger.