Netanyahu: West Bank sites added to national heritage list

Both sites are situated in areas controlled by Israel under agreements concluded between Israel and the PA. Therefore, protestations by the PA of Israel's investment in their upkeep shouldn't concern a soul.

pals rights are represented in Israeli citizenship, representatives in the government, what rights were afforded to jews in arab countries and may they practice their faith in the open? Dont forget joop possession is 9/10ths of the law. Also the arab/Israeli war the arabs told there people (bedouin/arabs) to leave while multiple arab governments declared war on israel, they the arabs thought they would finish what hitler started and then after they committed a genosidal engagment with the newly formed IDF/IAF. then the arabs would come back to claim the land, the odds were stacked agianst the fledgling country and the arabs were beating at their own game. They made the first move and it cost them dearly. So if Israel wishes to add new national heritage sites to the list they should do so no matter what the world says!!!

So why should they have to live under your rules?

So why can't they claim their heritage? By choice they left their woderful Pal brothers and moved to Holon, Israel. Guess why.

There still is a thriving Palestinian Samaritan community. And weren't Joseph's descendants Samaritans, not Judeans? Why should they have to live under your rules? Are you claiming their heritage, too?

of the al-Aqsa Mosque? Talk about spurious claims of mythical character and fantasy. "...is to perpetuate this myth of claim to the land via the spurious claims being made, including the use of so-called national heritage sites, which, in themeselves, are a total pretense and close to an outright lie."

"It just confirms the pathological self-image that Israel is nursing. The heritage is not an Israeli one it is a cultural heritage of all people that include Abraham in its beliefs." Like the Dome of the Rock isn't? But guess who doesn't get to go there.

Excuse me if I seem to be provocative. I seek clarity merely. Seeing that many Jewish immigrants hail from places far from Palestine, would it not be more appropriate to identify heritage sites in Eastern Europe and other far flung places?

Is Netanyahu really want Peace when acting as such, as MASTER? The West Bank is an Illegal Occupation , and the Territory will need to be given back to the rightful owners, certainly not Netanyahu.

No one knows if he even existed, let alone if he is buried. Source?: Israels own chief archeologists. It is all a very convenient fairy tale, cleverly woven to establish two things: 1) A Jewish claim to superiority as a result of being chosen by their G-D who has yet to appear. 2) A Jewish claim to all of what is now called Israel without any documented claim. All of Israels actions and the actions of its past prime ministers, especially Ariel Sharon who has been brain dead for several years, is to perpetuate this myth of claim to the land via the spurious claims being made, including the use of so-called national heritage sites, which, in themeselves, are a total pretense and close to an outright lie. The nation of Israel, if it choses this path, will turn out to be a nation woven out of whole cloth, with many huge holes in its fabric.

Excellent post Esther. Thank you so much for your honesty.

Israel has always used archaeology to lay claim (from the bible) to all of Palestine. In archaeological excavations (as presently at Silwan) the whole intention is to ignore other periods of history, in order to find evidence of the City of David, which even Israeli archaeologist agree did not exist. Important Islamic and Arab heritage (yes also Palestinian) mosques, and major civic buildings, and whole quarters and beautiful historical cities (Ramle, Lydd) were razed to the ground in Plan Dalet and after 1947/48. Handing important sites to the jurisdiction of the religious authorities and groups like Elad and Ateret Hacohanim, only fans religious nationalism and is contrary to proper scientific and historical analysis. see: http://www.ir-amim.org.il/Eng/?CategoryID=269

B"H A number of quick retorts pop to mind, such as: Well if the holy burial place of the forefathers was not being promoted as a national heritage site - what exactly was? Or, Has no one ever thought of these two places before? But, it's better late than never. Part of this quote remains somewhat troubling, though: "Our existence depends not only on the IDF or our economic resilience - it is anchored in...the national sentiment that we will bestow upon the coming generations and in our ability to justify our connection to the land," said the premier. Justify? Our connection to this land is common knowledge, not only in Western society but even Orientals I know are aware of it. I personally think we've got quite an illustrious history, as a people, as a nation under G-d, in Israel and outside. I think words like 'justify' really should be obliterated from these discussions, replaced with our hard earned pride.

to making peace, they can conduct shared heritage tours of their shared heritage sites.

But it wouldn't matter even if you were right. They are a separate people now, defined by having lived under Jewish occupation for more than 40 year and by their tenacious attachment to their homeland during their ongoing national catastrophe.

... the 'spiritual flag' of its own ancient Arab heritage... we cannot ignore that, if we are genuine seekers of peace... the Temple Mount is as much theirs as ours... ... until the Messiah comes, we can make do with the enormous Western-Wall plaza (which used to house the centuries-old Moghrabi Quarter, before we necessarily flattened in down in 1967...

"they have no sites of Palestinian Heritage because there was never a Palestinian Arab people, check your facts and history. Palestine was a region, never a people." (a) Palestine is indeed a region. (c) Palestinians are people living in Palestine (b) Palestinians are no "Arabs" but Arabs can be Palestinian. In normal countries the heritage is the history of the people living there. To deny the Palestinian non Jews a heritage is scientifically unsound and could be interpreted as vile racism. At least it is a extremely limited vision. In no point of time since 3000bc Israel/Palestine has been inhabited by a uniform population.

... are there precedents for two States sharing the same heritage sites, or is this unprecedented. unique? ...out of Zion shall go forth etc....

certain of that and look forward to that day!

After all, didn't Israel more recently take the West Bank from Jordan? Oh, but I think Jordan doesn't want the West Bank back b/c it contains all those troublesome Pals. So, at the ned of the day, perhaps Bibi (again!) did the right thing for Israel. Wake up, my friend, and smell the coffee: it's a rough world out there and if Bibi doesn't stand up for Isreal, who will? You??

Oh and don't forget West Jerusalem obviously.

But the pyramids weren't built by the Israelites. They were built 1000-15000 years before the Israelites were supposed to have been in Egypt (which has not been proven).

Benjamin Netanyahu: "The right of the Jewish people to its holy place - the Temple Mount - cannot be questioned...I believe it is necessary to arrange for Jewish prayer on the site, especially given that we permit freedom of worship to all the religions in Jerusalem...". And his office charged Palestinian officials with "disparaging Jewish holy sites and threatening potential worshippers" (in flagrant violation of Israel's 1967 Law for the Protection of the Holy Places and the Oslo Accords). His deputy director of communications, Michael Freund, responded to the PA mufti's declaration of war (that Jews "...must absolutely forget about having any rights over the Temple Mount...the Western Wall is just a fence belonging to a Muslim holy site") by saying "these statements are repugnant and they betray a contempt for Judaism's most sacred sites and beliefs. They are an affront to history and insulting to Jews everywhere." - Dangerous Ideas? http://tinyurl.com/yzdjc6b

Thank you for mentioning that, but you forgot to mention they have no sites of Palestinian Heritage because there was never a Palestinian Arab people, check your facts and history. Palestine was a region, never a people.

This is a good first step. Next we should add the pyramids in Giza and the Collosium in Rome!! After all, those too have significance to Jews.

Hebron and Bethlehem, yes. Don't forget Shiloh.

I hope Palestinians and Arabs begin claiming all the important historical sites built them inside the area Israel claims as it own too. Hundreds of mosques, churches, khans, etc., could be declared part of their national patrimony, and should be, since most of them are neglected by the Israeli government.

This is very troubling . Shas needed to persuade Bibi to include the fabric and roots of the Jewish Nation in the Israeli and Jewish landmarks ? Does that mean that Shas are Jewish and Bibi isn't and he needs to be persuaded ? Even the negroes in the USA are going to Africa seeking out their Roots. But Bibi - the PM of Israel - which says that the Arabs need to recognize Israel as the Jewish State- He himself does not, if he needs to be persuaded by Shas to include the Cave of the Patriarchs of the Jewish Nation. He doesn't understand this himself??? Every Jewish child and christian and even Arab know that the roots of the Jewish Nation were from Abraham,Isaac, and Jacob- but Bibi needs persuausion. Maybe he should go to school again.

It just confirms the pathological self-image that Israel is nursing. The heritage is not an Israeli one it is a cultural heritage of all people that include Abraham in its beliefs.

Thank you to Israel for looking after the precious sites and for allowing freedom of religion for all; something that previous over-seers of these sites failed to do.

National Heritage. See to it that there will be close supervision,& that stringent measures will be put in place to prevent any sort of embezzlement. Culprits should be charged severly.

unbelievable...what took so long. They are our ancestors

Better late than never.It's about time Israel takes possession of its 6000years old HERITAGE...and if anybody doesn't like it,TOUGH

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It is time to recognise that there is no occupation, there is only one State. Anything else is a pipe dream, wishful thinking for the unachievable. Negotitians must begin immediately regarding the status of jews and non-jews in such State, a new constitution and political framework. The land is valued greatly by jews and palestinians equally therefore should be shared and enjoyed equally and with mutual respect. Israel, the PLO, P5 and the Arab League need to face up to the truth: this entire area belongs to the jews and palestinians equally; division is not possible.

We've got strong historical connrctions with bothk. OK, they're not technically within the UK's internationally recognised borders but that doesn't seem to matter anymore. Tell Bibi, that the English Heritage inspectors will be arriving to take over Jerusalem on Monday.

This is of course a political move: the next after many. It is clear enough that this policy is meant to confiscate the Westbank and to press out the Palestinians. Facts on te ground are that the multitude of settlements, bypassroads and checkpoints makes the so called two-state-solution no longer viable. Israelis and Palestinians are condemned to each other. Whether they like it or not, they will have to learn to live with each other under the same roof. With equal rights, equal vote, equal prosperity. Mr Netanyahu is quick to secure the Jewish heritage on Palestinian lands. But when does he honour the rights of the Palestinians?