Implementation of 187 EX/Decision 12 on the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel’s Tomb – UNESCO document

Item 9 of the provisional agenda

IMPLEMENTATION OF 187 EX/DECISION 12 ON “THE TWO PALESTINIAN SITES OF

AL-HARAM AL-IBRAHIMI/TOMB OF THE PATRIARCHS IN ALL-KHALIL/HEBRON

AND THE BILÂL BIN RÂBÂH MOSQUE/RACHEL’S TOMB IN BETHLEHEM”

1. At the 184th session of the Executive Board, an item 184 EX/37 concerning “the two Palestinian sites of al-Haram al-Ibrahimi/Tomb of the Patriarchs in al-Khalil/Hebron and the Bilâl bin Râbâh Mosque/Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem” was submitted at the request of a number of Member States, in relation to the decision of the Israeli authorities, announced in February 2010, to include the two above-mentioned sites located in Hebron and Bethlehem in Israel’s National Heritage Programme.

2. The Executive Board adopted 184 EX/Decision 37 postponing the examination of this item until its 185th session where, despite considerable efforts, no consensus could be reached, and 185 EX/Decision 15 was adopted following a roll-call vote. At its 186th session, the Executive Board recalled its previous decisions and decided to include this item in the agenda of the 187th session.

3. At its 187th session, the Executive Board adopted 187 EX/Decision 12 by roll-call vote, noting the “lack of progress in the implementation of the UNESCO decision 185 EX/Decision 15”.

4. There is no recent development to report on this item.