UNESCO Designates Ancient Jericho Ruins as World Heritage Site, Igniting Controversy

The United Nations World Heritage Committee has designated the Tell es-Sultan archaeological site in Jericho, located in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as a "World Heritage Site in Palestine." The site contains ruins dating back to the ninth millennium BCE and is considered one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. The decision has been welcomed by the Palestinian Authority but has sparked ire from Israel, who sees it as another example of the politicization of UNESCO by the Palestinians.