Israel Says Holy Shrine Controversy “Contrived” as Obama Administration Sides with Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that the brouhaha surrounding the inclusion of two holy sites on Israel’s list of national heritage sites is “an artificial attempt to distort reality and sow discord.” Palestinian leaders have led an angry charge against the list, calling it a “provocation” because the Tomb of Rachel and the Tomb of the Patriarchs are located in areas Israel acquired in the 1967 war which are claimed by the Palestinians. Israelis point out that the designation as heritage sites speaks only to the Jewish connection and does not deny the Arab affinity to the same locations, adding that Arabs will also benefit from the planned physical improvements at the sites. They also argue that it is inconsistent for the international community to support the idea of a shared Jerusalem, but object to an equivalent concept for holy sites in Bethlehem or Hebron. Many Israelis are expressing profound disappointment at the Obama administration’s support for the Palestinian position rather than reinforcing the Israeli contention that both peoples will be served by the planned renovations.