Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir

• Potential construction of a separation fence (wall)
• Abandonment of terraces and afforestation
• Impact of socio-cultural and geo-political transformations
• Changes in traditional ways of life and knowledge system
• Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
• Invasive/alien terrestrial species
• New constructions within the property’s boundaries

• Potential construction of a separation fence (wall)
• Abandonment of terraces and afforestation
• Impact of socio-cultural and geo-political transformations

Adopted; see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6245 

Adopted; see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6245

Adopted; see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6989

N/A

On 31 January 2022 and 30 January 2023, the State Party submitted state of conservation reports, which are available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1492/documents and present progress in addressing conservation issues previously identified by the Committee, as follows:

• The management system has been approved and a Site Manager assigned by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) to ensure the implementation of the Management Conservation Plan (MCP) in collaboration with Battir Municipality, Beit Jala Municipality and Hussan Village Council and in cooperation with the property’s steering and management committees. Several meetings and workshops were held to follow up on, review and update the MCP;
• The Site Manager follows up projects and activities and monitors any violations within the boundaries of the property;
• A project for a detailed urban plan and building bylaws for specific areas in the buffer zone, implemented with the support of the UNESCO Ramallah Office, is under finalization. It aims at regulating interventions in Battir old town and ensuring the compatibility of urban development with the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
• Progress is made towards the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) by implementing the corrective measures as follows:

- Dismissal of plans to build a “Wall” along the property, or within its setting: Plans to build a “wall” throughout the property remain suspended. The definitive dismissal of these plans is essentially beyond the State Party’s control,

- Adequate conservation of the agricultural terraces and their associated components, including watchtowers and drystone walls throughout the property: Implementation of projects to rehabilitate agricultural lands, dry-stone walls, watchtowers and traditional structures has continued and technical guidelines for building and rehabilitating dry stone walls are being prepared,

- Adequate restoration in place of the irrigation system and the development of an adequate sewage system to protect water quality in the property: The project for the water canal system was completed in 2021. Water quality inspections and maintenance are carried out regularly. Improving the sewage system requires significant funding that has not been secured yet. The responsible authorities continue with previously adopted temporary protection measures,

- Protection in place for the property and its buffer zone, and Management plan and a monitoring system adopted and sustainable management system in place: The MoTA’s General Directorate for World Heritage has set out a framework for Operational Management Systems for all World Heritage properties, which relies on Site Managers and Steering and Management Committees as leading actors. The involvement of key public and private stakeholders and local communities in the management is envisaged. The appointed Site Manager, with the Management Committee, is tasked with the implementation of the MCP monitoring system. The land-use plan and related by-laws will be endorsed when finalized;

• Other activities include agricultural practice improvement, conservation and rehabilitation, cleaning, capacity building, improvement of the socio-economic status of the community, festivals, and awareness-raising, among others;
• Upcoming projects include the establishment of a parking lot, a visitor interpretation centre and services in Battir with funds from Germany; the sewage network and wastewater treatment plant projects for Battir and Hussan are pending due to funding issues;
• Several specific threats with a negative impact on the OUV of the property continue to be reported, including:
  • Urban development within and around the property,
  • Illegal construction and expansion of Israeli settlements on agricultural lands in the property, buffer zone, and surrounding hills, and setting up of pitched tents to establish a new settlement, in addition to the previously reported plan for the establishment of a large Israeli industrial zone covering part of the buffer zone, and, the new tunnel and bypass road (Road 60),
  • Destruction of a paved road, uprooting of trees and destruction of olive trees with pesticides, and arson in the property and its buffer zone, and prevention of recovery projects,
  • Prevention of agricultural work in Al-Makhrour area and demolition of previous rehabilitation works made on watchtowers.

The State Party wishes for the property to be retained on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The State Party demonstrated progress throughout 2021 and 2022 in implementing the necessary measures to achieve the DSOCR and responding to the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee.

A general framework for the management systems of World Heritage properties in Palestine has been developed by the MoTA’s General Directorate for World Heritage, a Site Manager has been assigned to the property and a Steering and Site Management Committee seems also to have been established. This represents an important advancement in strengthening the management system of the property. However, since involving local public and private relevant actors in the property’s management is crucial for its effectiveness, it would be important to receive further detailed information on the members of these committees and their roles and tasks.

Maintenance and rehabilitation projects for attributes of the agricultural landscape and essential infrastructure, awareness-raising initiatives, and local product promotion continue to be implemented despite limitations and unfavourable conditions. Temporary alternatives and measures continue to be enacted to counter the lack of funds to improve the sewage system; however, as already noted, in the long run, the solution adopted – low-cost tanks – implies risks for human health and the environment and should be considered a short-term solution. It is recommended that the Committee reiterate to the State Party the urgent need to seek funds for improving the sewage system as a priority.

The information that a detailed urban plan and related bylaws to control urban development are underway is to be welcomed. It is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to submit this plan and related regulations as soon as they are finalized.

In 2023, a project for a bus parking lot, a visitor interpretation centre and services, is planned for implementation. It is recommended that the documentation of the project be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by ICOMOS.

The State Party continues to report violations within the property and its buffer zone, threatening the property’s OUV. Additionally, in March 2022, UNESCO received a letter from the Permanent Delegation of the State of Palestine to UNESCO concerning the setting up of “a nucleus of a new illegal settlement” within the property. The Secretariat followed up with the State Party of Israel, requesting the relevant information. Through its Office in Ramallah, UNESCO was informed that this settlement outpost was eventually dismantled.

To monitor progress with the implementation of the corrective measures vis-à-vis the actual state of conservation of the property, it is crucial that this progress is measured against the inventories carried out during the preparation of the MCP that show the current assessed situation on the ground.

It is recommended that the property be retained on the List of World Heritage in Danger.