Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem 伯利恆主誕堂

http://news.mingpao.com/20120701/taa1.htm

巴人突擊申遺成功 美以怒轟
稱伯利恆主誕堂列世遺「只是頭炮」

【明報專訊】中東伯利恆主誕堂列為首個巴勒斯坦名下的世界文化遺產後，美國及以色列怒轟此舉含政治動機，但巴勒斯坦外長稱，今次只是第一波，當局正計劃為多個爭議地點申遺，勢令以巴政治爭拗升級。今次申遺成功，被視為巴人繞過美以掣肘、爭取國際承認國家地位的勝利。

聯合國世界遺產委員會以13票贊成、6票反對，決定把伯利恆主誕堂（Church of the Nativity）列為世遺。教科文組織巴勒斯坦代表桑巴爾（Elias Wadih Sanbar）表示，伯利恆古蹟「因以色列的佔領、修建西岸城牆而面臨被徹底破壞的威脅」。巴方亦指以軍的封鎖導致缺乏工具復修，要求將有關古蹟緊急列為世界遺產，毋須經過歷時18個月的申請程序。

幾經戰火 將獲資金復修

自1967年的六日戰爭後，以色列控制了約旦河西岸及東耶路撒冷，在政治原因下，伯利恆主誕堂一直無法復修在六日戰爭時造成的損；2002年，以色列為報復巴勒斯坦武裝分子在其境內發動多宗自殺式炸彈襲擊，出動坦克開入伯利恆，巴人槍手匿藏在主誕堂內，與以軍交火超過1個月，主誕堂再次受戰火洗禮。主誕堂列入世遺後，將可獲得資金協助復修工作。

美以斥政治決定

不過，教科文組織的決定引起美以反彈，美國駐聯合國教科文組織代表基利昂（David Killion）表示，美國對此「深感失望」，指決定與政治有關；以色列總理辦公室亦發表聲明，指「有證據顯示教科文組織的決定出於政治考慮，而非基於文化原因」；以色列外交部稱，「巴勒斯坦並不是對主誕堂有興趣，他們只是想利用申遺程序作為對付以色利的宣傳工具。」

去年10月，巴勒斯坦成功加入教科文組織，是巴勒斯坦首次成功在聯合國體系的組織取得獨立身分，被視為巴人邁向立國的重要一步，當時遭美國及以色列強列反對，之後兩國拒絕向教科文組織繳交會費，導致組織減少超過五分之一的收入，被迫取消向第三世界國家的援助計劃。

爭取立國「擦邊球勝利」

現時成功把伯利恆主誕堂列入巴勒斯坦名下，對巴人立國進程具象徵性意義，被視為巴人繞過美以掣肘，爭取國際承認國家地位的「擦邊球勝利」。巴勒斯坦外長馬勒基（Riad Malki）稱，當局正計劃為西岸、加沙及東耶路撒冷多個古申遺，勢令以巴的政治爭拗升級。

英國廣播公司/路透社/紐約時報

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18645823

29 June 2012 Last updated at 15:40 GMT

Bethlehem sites given Unesco World Heritage status

The UN's cultural agency, Unesco, has voted to add the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and its pilgrimage route to the list of World Heritage Sites.

The Palestinian delegation welcomed the approval of its bid to get protected status for the church, built on a site some believe was Jesus's birthplace.

Israel and the US opposed the move, saying it was politically motivated.

It was the first such approval since Palestine was controversially granted membership of Unesco last year.

Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity - originally constructed in 399 above a cave traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus and rebuilt after fire in the 6th Century - is among the holiest sites in Christianity

The short section of the pilgrimage route from Jerusalem to Bethlehem - following the historical route believed to have been taken by Mary and Joseph - is used for the procession of the Patriarchs at Christmas.

An estimated two million people visit the two sites every year.

At a meeting in the Russian city of St Petersburg on Friday, Unesco delegates voted 13 to six in favour of giving both of them World Heritage Site status "on an emergency basis", entitling them to UN protection and funding for restoration work the Palestinians say is urgent.

Controversy

When the result of the secret ballot was announced, there were loud cheers and fist pumping from the Palestinian delegation, reports the BBC's Jon Donnison in Ramallah.

"These sites are threatened with total destruction through the Israeli occupation, through the building of the separation wall, because of all the Israeli sanctions and the measures that have been taken to stifle the Palestinian identity," permanent delegate Elias Wadih Sanbar said.

Israel's permanent delegate, Nimrod Barkan, said his country supported awarding World Heritage Site status to the Church of the Nativity under a completely different, non-emergency procedure that carried no implications for the stalled Middle East peace process.

"The decision taken now was totally political and does great damage in our opinion to the [UN] convention and its image," he added.

Christian denominations were also opposed to the bid, fearing Unesco would start to meddle in the affairs of the Church of the Nativity.

Our correspondent says Palestinians will see this as a small but significant victory.

Last year, Unesco became the first UN body to officially accept Palestine as a member state, despite strong opposition from the US and Israel, which said it would further remove the possibility of a permanent peace deal.

That led to Washington suspending millions of dollars of funding for the agency, which accounted for a fifth of its budget.

Last year, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas failed in his bid to gain recognition of a Palestinian state at the main body of the United Nations, although officials say they may revive that bid this year.

In a way, Palestinians would not have succeed if Israel did treasure and protect the Church of the Nativity. So far, I only know that Israel built their state by terrorist attack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_David_Hotel_bombing), (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1524552/Israel-celebrates-Irgun-hotel-bombers.html). Reading the news of Israel and Palestine, I guess, to Israel, peace only means "peace" to Israel, by suppressing Palestinians. It is ironic that the story of God comes from Jews but they do not believe Jesus was a god, and they are still doing evil things to the Palestinians.