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

State of Palestine
Factors affecting the property in 2023*
  • Changes in traditional ways of life and knowledge system
  • Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
  • Invasive/alien terrestrial species
  • Other Threats:

    Potential construction of a separation fence (wall)

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
  • 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
Threats for which the property was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger
  • Potential construction of a separation fence (wall)
  • Abandonment of terraces and afforestation
  • Impact of socio-cultural and geo-political transformations
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
Corrective Measures for the property
Timeframe for the implementation of the corrective measures
UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds until 2023

N/A

International Assistance: requests for the property until 2023
Requests approved: 1 (from 2016-2016)
Total amount approved : 30,000 USD
Missions to the property until 2023**

N/A

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2023

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.

Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2023

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.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2023
45 COM 7A.39
Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir (State of Palestine) (C 1492)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.4,
  2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.17 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou /online, 2021),
  3. 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 the restoration and the preparation of guidelines for the drystone walls and the rehabilitation of the watchtowers;
  4. Also commends the State Party for having appointed a Site Manager for the property to work with the Steering and Site Management Committees, and requests the State Party to submit further detailed information on the membership, roles and tasks of these committees to the World Heritage Centre;
  5. Encourages the State Party to continue seeking the required funds to undertake the development of a sufficient sewage system as a priority;
  6. Encourages the State Party to develop and implement the 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;
  7. Takes note with concern of the reports of ongoing illegal constructions and other developments within the property and its buffer zone;
  8. Further requests the State Party to submit the project documentation for the proposed bus parking lot and visitor interpretation centre to the World Heritage Centre before any final decision is taken and to continue to inform the World Heritage Centre of any proposed plans for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
  9. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session;
  10. Decides to retain Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir (Palestine) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
45 COM 8C.2
Update of the List of World Heritage in Danger (Retained Properties)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (WHC/23/45.COM/7A, WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add, WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.3, WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.4),
  2. Having examined the recommendations of the Advisory Bodies, decides to retain the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:
  • Afghanistan, Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley (Decision 45 COM 7A.51)
  • Afghanistan, Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Decision 45 COM 7A.52)
  • Austria, Historic Centre of Vienna (Decision 45 COM 7A.55)
  • Bolivia (Plurinational State of), City of Potosí (Decision 45 COM 7A.18)
  • Central African Republic, Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Decision 45 COM 7A.3)
  • Côte d'Ivoire / Guinea, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Decision 45 COM 7A.4)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo, Garamba National Park (Decision 45 COM 7A.5)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Decision 45 COM 7A.6)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo, Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Decision 45 COM 7A.7)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo, Virunga National Park (Decision 45 COM 7A.8)
  • Egypt, Abu Mena (Decision 45 COM 7A.26)
  • Honduras, Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Decision 45 COM 7A.1)
  • Indonesia, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (Decision 45 COM 7A.15)
  • Iraq, Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Decision 45 COM 7A.27)
  • Iraq, Hatra (Decision 45 COM 7A.28)
  • Iraq, Samarra Archaeological City (Decision 45 COM 7A.29)
  • Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (site proposed by Jordan) (Decision 45 COM 7A.31)
  • Kenya, Lake Turkana National Parks (Decision 45 COM 7A.10)
  • Libya, Archaeological Site of Cyrene (Decision 45 COM 7A.33)
  • Libya, Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna (Decision 45 COM 7A.34)
  • Libya, Archaeological Site of Sabratha (Decision 45 COM 7A.35)
  • Libya, Old Town of Ghadamès (Decision 45 COM 7A.36)
  • Libya, Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus (Decision 45 COM 7A.37)
  • Madagascar, Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Decision 45 COM 7A.11)
  • Mali, Old Towns of Djenné (Decision 45 COM 7A.22)
  • Mali, Timbuktu (Decision 45 COM 7A.23)
  • Mali, Tomb of Askia (Decision 45 COM 7A.24)
  • Mexico, Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (Decision 45 COM 7A.2)
  • Micronesia (Federated States of), Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia (Decision 45 COM 7A.53)
  • Niger, Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Decision 45 COM 7A.12)
  • Palestine, Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir (Decision 45 COM 7A.39)
  • Palestine, Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town (Decision 45 COM 7A.38)
  • Panama, Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo (Decision 45 COM 7A.19)
  • Peru, Chan Chan Archaelogical Zone (Decision 45 COM 7A.20)
  • Romania, Roșia Montană Mining Landscape (Decision 45 COM 7A.56)
  • Senegal, Niokolo-Koba National Park (Decision 45 COM 7A.13)
  • Serbia, Medieval Monuments in Kosovo (Decision 45 COM 7A.57)
  • Solomon Islands, East Rennell (Decision 45 COM 7A.16)
  • Syrian Arab Republic, Ancient City of Aleppo (Decision 45 COM 7A.40)
  • Syrian Arab Republic, Ancient City of Bosra (Decision 45 COM 7A.41)
  • Syrian Arab Republic, Ancient City of Damascus (Decision 45 COM 7A.42)
  • Syrian Arab Republic, Ancient Villages of Northern Syria (Decision 45 COM 7A.43)
  • Syrian Arab Republic, Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (Decision 45COM 7A.44)
  • Syrian Arab Republic, Site of Palmyra (Decision 45 COM 7A.45)
  • United Republic of Tanzania, Selous Game Reserve (Decision 45 COM 7A.14)
  • United States of America, Everglades National Park (Decision 45 COM 7A.17)
  • Uzbekistan, Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (Decision 45 COM 7A.54)
  • Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Coro and its Port (Decision 45 COM 7A.21)
  • Yemen, Historic Town of Zabid (Decision 45 COM 7A.47)
  • Yemen, Old City of Sana’a (Decision 45 COM 7A.49)
  • Yemen, Old Walled City of Shibam (Decision 45 COM 7A.50)
3.    Recalls that the following properties were inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger at its 18th extraordinary session (UNESCO, 2023):
  • Lebanon, Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli (Decision 18 EXT.COM 5.1)
  • Ukraine, The Historic Centre of Odesa (Decision 18 EXT.COM 5.2)
  • Yemen, Landmarks of the Ancient Kingdom of Saba, Marib (Decision 18 EXT.COM 5.3)
Draft decision: 45 COM 7A.39

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7A.Add.4,
  2. Recalling Decision 44 COM 7A.17, adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou /online, 2021),
  3. 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 the restoration and the preparation of guidelines for the drystone walls and the rehabilitation of the watchtowers;
  4. Also commends the State Party for having appointed a Site Manager for the property to work with the Steering and Site Management Committees, and requests the State Party to submit further detailed information on the membership, roles and tasks of these committees to the World Heritage Centre;
  5. Encourages the State Party to continue seeking the required funds to undertake the development of a sufficient sewage system as a priority;
  6. Encourages the State Party to develop and implement the 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;
  7. Takes note with concern of the reports of ongoing illegal constructions and other developments within the property and its buffer zone;
  8. Further requests the State Party to submit the project documentation for the proposed bus parking lot and visitor interpretation centre to the World Heritage Centre before any final decision is taken and to continue to inform the World Heritage Centre of any proposed plans for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
  9. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2024, 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 46th session;
  10. Decides to retain Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir (Palestine) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Report year: 2023
State of Palestine
Date of Inscription: 2014
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (iv)(v)
Danger List (dates): 2014-present
Documents examined by the Committee
SOC Report by the State Party
Report (2023) .pdf
Report (2022) .pdf
Initialy proposed for examination in 2022
arrow_circle_right 45COM (2023)
Exports

* : The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).

** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.


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