J.Post July 1: The Sinister Side of Palestinian 'Heritage'

Sir, - The naming of Battir as Palestine's second World Heritage site by the UN's World Heritage Committee is a blatant act of insidious villainy. The purported significance of the site is the specious claim of being one of the best examples of an ancient terraced landscape. Battir, coincidentally, was immediately placed by The World Heritage Committee on its list of endangered sites.

To gain insight into the treachery behind this rather strange claim of 'heritage,' we must understand that Battir happens to be located in Area C of the West Bank, which is under Israeli military control and the security barrier just happens to be routed through there. It is quite obvious that this choice has no redeeming historical merit, and was chosen by collusion between this UN committee and the PA for the sole political purpose of attempting to frustrate Israel's activities in the area.

This choice has about the equal authenticity and legitimacy as that of the choice of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity for the first Palestinian Heritage site, after the Christian population of Bethlehem was largely displaced by their Moslem brethren.

ZEV CHAMUDOT

Petach Tikva

[Image credit: Andrea Moroni]