Palestinians push Nativity church as Heritage site, they now risk losing face at the World Heritage Committee meeting.

Palestinians push Nativity church as Heritage site, they now risk losing face at the World Heritage Committee meeting.(AA).The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem is becoming the church of contention, with a bid by the Palestinians to use their position as the newest members of the U.N.’s cultural arm to obtain World Heritage status for the iconic Christian site - and perhaps boost their own campaign for legitimacy. The effort by the Palestinian Authority, like its overall efforts for global recognition for an independent Palestinian state, is drawing resistance. And it may fail at the World Heritage Committee meeting that starts Sunday. An experts committee has turned down the emergency bid to quickly confer on the Church of the Nativity, and its pilgrimage route, the status as an endangered World Heritage site, saying the application needs more work. Even custodians of the holy site, the Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Armenian churches are opposed, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press.
There is concern by the United States and others that the Bethlehem holy site and the integrity of the World Heritage process risk falling victim to the politics that for decades have torn the region asunder, with the Palestinians using their foothold in the U.N. system to grab symbolic recognition of their elusive bid for statehood in a long-disputed land. Angry at Palestinian membership in UNESCO, the United States pulled its $80 million in annual dues - 22 percent of the overall budget - from the Paris-based organization after the October vote that made the Palestinians the 195th member. Bucking the bad feedback, the Palestinians refused to follow UNESCO custom and withdraw the candidacy - as the French did with their emergency bid for the Chauvet cave, with its hundreds of prehistoric drawings, when it got a negative recommendation from the experts. The Palestinians now risk losing face at the World Heritage Committee meeting from Sunday until July 6 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, when 33 sites from around the world will be considered for the coveted World Heritage status. A surprise thumbs up could feed rancor and rivalries in a volatile region, within the church itself and perhaps at the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Already, the Palestinian ambassador to UNESCO, Elias Sanbar, has denounced a “persistent campaign of rumors” at the organization. With a big measure of diplomacy, the leaders of the Greek Orthodox, Catholic and Armenian churches rebuffed the Palestinian proposal, politely reserving judgment on its reasons. “In our opinion, we do not think it opportune to deal with this request that the Basilica and its entire complex be included in the list of World Heritage sites, due to different considerations,” read a letter to Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas signed by the three leaders. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Associated Press. Among other things, a World Heritage designation raises fears that the delicate arrangement of custodianship might be disturbed. Fights among priests using broomsticks have been known to break out in the past over a perception that boundaries are being overstepped.
“When it comes to the Church of the Nativity, no one can interfere,” said Yousef Daher of the World Council of Churches in Jerusalem. “They (the Palestinian Authority) figured it wrong.” He called the Palestinian bid a “surprising request.” “A church is a church, it shouldn’t become a world heritage. It’s a sacred place and its ownership is not for anyone,” Daher said. The U.S. State Department did not hide its disapproval of the Palestinians’ emergency bid. “We are disappointed by the Palestinians’ intention to push through an emergency inscription against the recommendation of UNESCO’s own experts and without thoroughly consulting all stakeholders,” a statement said. It made clear that Washington’s objection stems from the rush job that an emergency candidacy implies and which prevents a full review including by those with a stake in the outcome. “We hope the Committee will act responsibly as good stewards of the World Heritage Convention, rather than allowing yet another U.N. forum to become a victim of politicization,” the U.S. statement said. “The site is sacred to all Christians.” The Palestinian delegation to UNESCO refused any comment until after the Saint Petersburg meeting. However, a letter circulating among delegations suggested a plot was afoot. In a letter, Ambassador Sanbar denounced a campaign of pressure against the bid from “those who do not want to see Palestine exercise its legitimate rights.” The June 11 letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, included what is purported to be a statement of support for Palestinian leader Abbas signed in type by the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox leaders, noting the Armenian was absent. That letter “gave some delegations the impression that the churches had changed their opinion and were no longer opposed to the inscription,” said one UNESCO official. “Was it designed for that purpose? I don’t know.”Hmmmm...."I'll Make you an offer you can't refuse".Read the full story here.