Decision: 44 COM 7A.17
The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2,
- Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.30 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
- Commends the State Party for its efforts to improve the state of conservation of the property and to implement the corrective measures to achieve the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and in particular concerning the restoration of the irrigation system;
- Requests the State Party to allocate the necessary resources to ensure the operationalisation of the management system and the implementation of the Management Conservation Plan (MCP), and urges the State Party to adopt in the meantime alternatives to ensure that the Steering Committee and a working group are established and given a mandate for decision-making and for implementing the MCP;
- Also urges the State Party to continue seeking the required funds to undertake the development of a sufficient sewage system as a priority;
- Encourages the State Party to develop a land-use plan and related bylaws to avoid uncontrolled urban growth within the property and its buffer zone, with the full involvement of the municipalities and local communities;
- Takes note with concern of the reports about ongoing illegal constructions and other developments and transformations within the property and its buffer zone;
- Also requests the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre of any proposed plans for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect the OUV of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
- Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session in 2022;
- Decides to retain Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir (Palestine) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.