Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town

• Absence of Statement of Outstanding Universal Value at the time of inscription
• Management systems/management plan: Need of a management plan (resolved)
• Damage from illegal actions including new construction and archaeological excavations
• Restricted access

The State Party outlined a series of threats in the nomination file, but none were specified by the World Heritage Committee at the time of inscription

Draft submitted by the State Party following expert meeting in Paris in December 2018, in accordance with Decision 42 COM 7A.28. Currently under review.

Draft submitted by the State Party following expert meeting in Paris in December 2018, in accordance with Decision 42 COM 7A.28. Currently under review.

Currently under review, pending adoption of the corrective measures.

Total amount granted: USD 375,400 from the Government of Sweden for physical rehabilitation; USD 30,000 from the World Heritage Fund budget line dedicated to properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

On 26 January 2024, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, which is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1565/documents/, and presents the following information:

• Revised versions of the proposed Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV), Desired state of conservation for removal from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and corrective measures with a provisional timeframe for their implementation, were developed in consultation with UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Decision 42 COM 7A.28, and are included as annexes to the report;
• Progress has been made with regard to the Management and Conservation Plan (MCP) within the framework of International Assistance, with support from UNESCO and partners including the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Hebron Rehabilitation Committee and Hebron Municipality. The local community and other stakeholders were also involved in the process. Following the ICOMOS Technical Review of 2023 on the revised MCP, the State Party affirms its dedication to address them;
• Initiatives undertaken during 2023 include conservation works at Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of the Patriarchs; restoration of Zahdeh Historic House; restoration and adaptive re-use of the Al-Sharabati Building as a community centre; adaptive re-use of historic buildings for Government Headquarters; and rehabilitation of infrastructure at the Northern Entrance of the Old Town. Community living conditions and socio-economic well-being were improved, while ensuring the sustainability of conservation efforts and raising awareness within the local community regarding best practices for cultural heritage conservation. There are currently no other plans for significant restorations, alterations, or new construction within the property or its buffer zone. The State Party complies with the law for Tangible Cultural Heritage (No. 11, 2018), and is committed to conducting Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) and/or Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for significant projects. The Hebron Rehabilitation Committee participated in the Fifth World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum in Riyadh in September 2023;
• According to the report, the property remains vulnerable to violations, including construction of illegal Israeli settlements and archaeological excavations, as well as restricted access to places of worship, demolition of commercial stores in Al-Hisbeh market, destruction of the arched and domed entrances at the historic bus station, and completed construction of an electric elevator in Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of the Patriarchs, resulting in destruction of significant archaeological remains. In addition, the State Party reports that there has been a curfew imposed in the property since the commencement of the war in Gaza in October 2023.

In addition, UNESCO received several letters from the State Party and from the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee expressing deep concern about reported violations and reported seizing of the Al-Hisbeh market and planned new constructions, as well as developments at Tell Rumeida, located in the buffer zone of the property. The Secretariat followed up with Israel, requesting the relevant information. A reply has not been received yet.

The abovementioned concerns were also raised by third parties and brought to the attention of the World Heritage Center.

The State Party expressed its wish to maintain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

The State Party has submitted to the World Heritage Centre a revised proposed Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV), prepared in accordance with the process adopted in Decision 42 COM 7A.28. Adoption of the SOUV by the Committee is required for the finalisation and consideration of the draft DSOCR and draft corrective measures that will guide the process for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger. The SOUV is also a fundamental foundation for the MCP, which should be adjusted once the SOUV is adopted, and in accordance with the recommendations of the 2023 ICOMOS Technical Review. Finalisation of the MCP should proceed in collaboration with UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies.

The efforts of the State Party to undertake activities for the conservation and management of the property, including conservation works at Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of the Patriarchs, restoration of Zahdeh Historic House, adaptive re-use of the Al-Sharabati Building as a community centre, adaptive re-use of historic buildings, and rehabilitation of infrastructure at the Northern Entrance of the Old Town, as well as initiatives for socio-economic benefits and awareness-raising for the local community, should be commended. Participation of the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee in the fifth edition of the World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum in Riyadh in September 2023 is welcome, and the State Party should be encouraged to continue to build capacity and foster cooperation and support through ongoing engagement with UNESCO, the Advisory Bodies and other World Heritage property managers.

The Tangible Cultural Heritage Law and requirements for HIAs and EIAs for major restoration projects have previously been noted by the Committee. The scale and extent of reported illegal activities, and in particular the reported construction of settlements, archaeological excavations, demolition of commercial stores in Al-Hisbeh market, destruction of the arched and domed entrances at the historic bus station and completion of an electric elevator at Al-Ibrahimi Mosque/The Tomb of the Patriarchs, which proceeded without preparation of HIAs or notification to the World Heritage Centre in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines represent potential threats to the OUV of the property. In accordance with the Operational Guidelines, details of any significant conservation and development project, including HIAs, prepared in conformity with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context, should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, before any decisions that would be difficult to reverse.

All parties should continue to avoid any action that would cause damage to the property and its OUV, and all possible measures should be taken to protect the property, in particular to refrain from physical damage, prevention of conservation projects, and inappropriate new development projects within the property and its buffer zone.

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