Jerusalem/Mughrabi Gate – UNESCO Director-General report

Item 5 of the provisional agenda

REPORT BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL ON THE FOLLOW-UP TO DECISIONS

AND RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THE

GENERAL CONFERENCE AT THEIR PREVIOUS SESSIONS

SUMMARY

The purpose of this report is to inform the Members of the Executive

Board of the progress achieved in the follow-up to the decisions and

resolutions adopted by the Board and the General Conference at their

previous sessions.

/…

IV. Implementation of 35 C/Resolution 49 and 182 EX/Decision 5 (II) relating to the Ascent to the Mughrabi Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem

(Follow-up to 182 EX/Decision 5 (II))

30. As a follow-up to 176 EX/Special Plenary Meeting/Decision and to the decisions of the World Heritage Committee at its 31st, 32nd and 33rd sessions in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively, which requested the World Heritage Centre to facilitate the exchanges between Israeli, Jordanian and Waqf experts to discuss the detailed proposals for the design of the Mughrabi ascent; two professional meetings took place in Jerusalem on 13 January and 24 February 2008 between Israeli and Jordanian (including Waqf) experts. The third meeting, scheduled for 12 November 2008, was postponed at the request of the Jordanian authorities “until a date when it can get its own experts and equipment on the site in order to take the appropriate measurements, necessary to finalize the design of the project”.

31. The “Reinforced Monitoring” mechanism, requested by the Executive Board at its 176th session (176 EX/Special Plenary Meeting decision) and by the World Heritage Committee at its 31st session in 2007, is being applied to the Old City of Jerusalem with regard to the Mughrabi ascent. Seven reports were prepared by the World Heritage Centre in this respect and forwarded to the concerned parties and the States Parties members of the World Heritage Committee.

32. At its 182nd session, the Executive Board adopted 182 EX/Decision 5 (II), in which it recalled previous decisions and regretted “in this regard the postponement of the follow-up meeting of experts which was scheduled on 12 November 2008 […] as well as of the planned visit of Jordanian technical experts to the Mughrabi Ascent site on 27 July 2009, due to circumstances that have impeded Jordanian experts from having access in order to take measurements”. It recognized “the existence of deep concerns regarding the decision taken by the Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Commission on the town planning scheme for the Mughrabi ascent” and requested that despite that decision, “the process for the design of the Mughrabi ascent be inclusive of all parties concerned, in accordance with the spirit and content of previous World Heritage Committee decisions”. Reaffirming the necessity of cooperation in order to arrange for access to the Mughrabi ascent site for Jordanian and Waqf experts, it reiterated its call on the Director-General “to organize a follow-up meeting of experts as soon as possible, once the parties concerned have reached an understanding”. It also reaffirmed “that the process for the design of the Mughrabi ascent, which allows for the taking into consideration of the designs submitted during the aforementioned professional encounter, is still under way”. Finally, it expressed its thanks to the Director-General “for the action he is taking to facilitate the dialogue and professional exchanges between all the parties concerned”.

33. At its 35th session, the General Conference adopted 35 C/Resolution 49 by which it “reiterates its concern as to the obstacles and practices, unilateral or otherwise, affecting the preservation of the distinctive character of the Old City of Jerusalem” and “invites the Director-General to pursue his efforts with the concerned parties for the safeguarding of the outstanding universal value of the Old City of Jerusalem”.

34. By letter dated 28 January 2008 from the Israeli National Commission for UNESCO, the World Heritage Centre was informed that: “Following the decision of the National Council for Planning and Construction, an alternative plan for the Mughrabi ascent was made in order to maintain the authenticity and integrity of the site reflected in the recommendations of the WHC and its advisory bodies. The process of the approval of this plan should end only after a formal publication of the approved planning principles”. UNESCO has acknowledged receipt of this information and reiterated its support for the organization of a meeting of the concerned parties to evaluate the alternative plan before its final approval.

35. Depending on the developments of the situation related to this issue, the Director-General is prepared to issue an addendum to the present document before the 184th session of the Executive Board.

/…