Israel outraged after UNESCO puts Hebron on endangered heritage list

The UN cultural organisation declared an ancient shrine in Hebron a heritage site, prompting Israel to further cut its funding to the United Nations.

UNESCO designated Hebron and the two adjoined shrines at its heart – the Jewish Tomb of the Patriarchs and the Muslim Ibrahimi Mosque – a “Palestinian World Heritage Site in Danger”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called that “another delusional UNESCO decision” and ordered that $1 million be diverted from Israel’s U.N. funding to establish a museum and other projects covering Jewish heritage in Hebron.

The funding cut is Israel’s fourth in the past year, taking its UN contribution from $11 million to just $1.7 million, an Israeli official said. Each cut has come after various UN bodies voted to adopt decisions which Israel said discriminated against it.

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