Israel to add WB locales to its heritage sites

Israel’s prime minister has announced a plan to add two shrines located in the occupied West Bank to Israel’s list of “national heritage” sites.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the Cave of the Patriarchs in al-Khalil and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem would be added to the list of around 150 sites that Israel plans to restore.

The Fatah party of acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas has denounced the decision as yet another setback to peace talks.

The Palestinian Authority has also warned that the decision would “wreck” peace efforts, BBC reported.

“We believe that this particular violation is very dangerous, because it might add to the religious nature of the conflict,” Ghassan Khatib, a spokesman for the Palestinian Authority, told the Associated Press.

Israeli media have reported that Tel Aviv made the decision because of pressure from nationalist ministers.