UNESCO designates Ancient Tell Sultan – Jericho as World Heritage Site

RIYADH: The UNESCO World Heritage Committee said that the Palestinian site “Tel Sultan – Jericho” won a majority of votes, making it the first Arab site to be added to the UNESCO list.

The decision was taken during the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.

In a statement to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Mounir Anastas, the Permanent Representative of Palestine to UNESCO, expressed his pride in the historic achievement.

He said that it is credited to all Arabs, especially Saudi Arabia that exerted tremendous efforts to host the session and spared no effort to support the Palestinian cause.

World Heritage in Palestine Director General Dr. Ahmed Rajoub said that the city of Jericho is an example of the first and oldest political, social, and administrative system in the world.

He pointed out that it is not only the oldest walled city in the world, but also the lowest ancient walled city in the world, and the oldest political, social, and economic system in the world, which proves its role in the development of human civilization.

Registering Jericho on the World Heritage List will bring economic and social benefit to Palestine that is rich in its cultural, religious and natural heritage, he said.

The expected increase in the number of visitors to this site also fundamentally improves the community’s income and reflects on the well-being of the people of Jericho and the Palestinian economy in general, he added.

Located in the Jordan Valley region, east of the occupied West Bank, Jericho is renowned as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a history spanning thousands of years, WAFA news agency reports.

The ancient city boasts remarkable archaeological findings, including evidence of its ancient fortifications and early human settlements, as well as the iconic Hisham’s Palace mosaic.

The archaeological treasures offer invaluable insights into the region’s history, culture, and civilization.

The Tell Sultan site has been under excavation for over a century and yielded the remains of a fortified city that bills itself as the oldest continuously inhabited settlement on the planet.