Wary of Israeli appropriation, Palestine lists 14 sites with UNESCO

Al JazeeraCenterEN 5 min read 100% complete by Mohammad MansourJanuary 15, 2026 at 09:03 AM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

The Palestinian Authority submitted 14 cultural and natural sites to UNESCO's World Heritage tentative list on January 1, 2026. The sites are located in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, including Gaza's Old City and the Great Omari Mosque. This action aims to protect Palestinian heritage from Israeli attacks and appropriation, particularly after the destruction of over 200 historical sites during the recent war. The PA hopes to gain international recognition for these endangered landmarks and counter attempts to monopolize the historical narrative. With these additions, the total number of Palestinian sites on the tentative list rises to 24, covering a historical range from Canaanite city-states to modern architecture.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Byzantine Church of Jabalia 40% Church of Saint Porphyrius 40% Marwa Adwan 50% Gaza City 60% Great Omari Mosque ×260% Palestinian Ministry of Tourism 60% Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ×260% West Bank ×270% United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ×380% Gaza ×480% Israel ×390% Palestinian Authority ×290%

Keywords

palestinian cultural heritage 90% unesco world heritage list 80% israeli appropriation 70% gaza old city 60% west bank landmarks 60% cultural genocide 50% israeli attacks 50% historical narrative 40% ministry of tourism and antiquities 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.60

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Israel

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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palestinian cultural heritage unesco world heritage list israeli appropriation gaza old city west bank landmarks cultural genocide israeli attacks historical narrative ministry of tourism and antiquities

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