Jordan welcomes UNESCO resolution to keep Old City of Jerusalem on danger list

Jordan on Thursday, 23 July, formally welcomed a unanimous resolution by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee to retain the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The decision, reached during the committee’s 46th session in New Delhi, India, maintains the site's protected status amidst ongoing regional instability. Status of Holy Sites Affirmed The resolution calls for the cessation of all unilateral Israeli measures in East Jerusalem that could alter the historical and legal status quo of the city. According to a statement from the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriate Affairs, the document specifically addresses the protection of the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif as a site of worship for Muslims under the historical custodianship of the Hashemite monarchy. The committee’s decision is supported by a 1994 peace treaty between Jordan and Israel, which recognizes Amman's special role in overseeing Jerusalem’s Muslim and Christian holy sites. The 21-member World Heritage Committee reached this consensus on Wednesday, 22 July, prior to the official announcement today. Legal and Cultural Implications The Old City of Jerusalem has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 1982, a designation used to alert the international community to conditions that threaten the characteristics for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The current resolution demands the appointment of a permanent UNESCO…