Jordan: Israel derailing peace efforts with heritage site list

Feb 22, 2010, 16:08 GMT

Amman - The Jordanian government on Monday accused Israel of derailing peace efforts in the Middle East by adding two West Bank sites to its list of national heritage sites.

'Instead of taking steps to pave the necessary ground for re- launching the peace process, Israel is adopting measures that derail the ongoing peace moves,' Minister of State for Media Affairs Nabil Sharif was quoted as saying by the official Petra news agency.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday announced the inclusion of the Biblical Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem and The Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron on the list. The two sites are sacred to Jews and Muslims.

The Tomb of the Patriarchs, or Haram al-Ibrahimi, is regarded as as one of Islam's holiest shrines, while Rachel's Tomb is known to Muslims as Bilal Mosque.

'Jordan condemns this and all other unilateral Israeli measures which affect holy places and offend sentiments of Muslims throughout the world,' Sharif said.

'We urge Israel to reconsider its new step because it deepens lack of confidence among the concerned parties.' He was alluding to the latest attempts by the United States to broker indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israel seized East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank from Jordan during the 1967 Middle East War. Under a peace treaty concluded in 1994, Israel acknowledged Jordan's right to look after both Islamic and Christian shrines in the Palestinian-administered territory.