WEST BANK-WADI QELT/UNESCO Palestinians plan to add a West Bank valley to World Heritage sites

Record ID: 565856

  • Title: WEST BANK-WADI QELT/UNESCO Palestinians plan to add a West Bank valley to World Heritage sites
  • Date: 12th February 2015
  • Summary: WADI QELT, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TOURISTS WALKING IN WADI QELT VALLEY VARIOUS OF MONASTERY OF ST. GEORGE BELL TOWER OVER MONASTERY OF ST. GEORGE OLD STRUCTURE AT WADI QELT OLD ARC HEAD OF PALESTINIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND ANTIQUITIES IN JERICHO, EYAD HAMDAN TALKING TO MAN AT SITE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF PALESTINIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND ANTIQUITIES IN JERICHO, EYAD HAMDAN, SAYING: "The (Palestinian) Ministry of Tourism was aware of the importance of these areas, valleys and monasteries from the beginning. Attention was given to the importance of registering these monasteries and other sites in the International list of the world heritage sites." VARIOUS OF OLD ROMAN CANAL OF WATER AT VALLEY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF PALESTINIAN MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND ANTIQUITIES IN JERICHO, EYAD HAMDAN, SAYING: "The water that comes from different areas in Palestine, pours in the Jordan river. This (Wadi Qelt) is one of the Jordan river's creeks. At the end of Wadi Qelt locates (King) Herod's winter palace and the canals (in the Wadi) used to provide it with water." VARIOUS OF TOURISTS TOURING THE SITE VARIOUS OF ST. GEORGE MONASTERY (SOUNDBITE) (English) A ROMANIAN TOURIST AT SITE, TOYODOR, SAYING: "There is a place of the history of the greatest monotheistic religions in the world and have to put in chronological order. The mosaic, the Judaic, the Christians and the Muslims. So that is an important place for everybody who believe in a god to come and to visit the area." TOURISTS AT SITE VARIOUS OF CRUCIFIX (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TOURISTS GUIDE, MUSA ELYAN, SAYING: "In Wadi Al Qelt there are many springs since the Roman era. The water run in canals to Jericho (down the valley). Mostly the Christian Orthodox come here to visit because the site is under the control of the Greek Orthodox church." VARIOUS OF RUNNING WATER IN THE VALLEY VARIOUS OF JERICHO AS SEEN FROM THE VALLEY
  • Embargoed: 27th February 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1JXFTBLKIOGGDTQGKUP4C24LF
  • Story Text: In the desert, between the Dead Sea and Jerusalem, the West Bank's Wadi Qelt Valley is located - a green space with trees, ancient walls and water paralleling the old Roman road to Jericho.
    Nesting on the face of the valley's wall is the Greek Orthodox monastery of St. George which is a favorite stop for travellers and pilgrims.
    Built at the end of the fifth century, the Greek Orthodox monastery commemorates St. Gerismo, a rich saint from Jordan who left his wealth and built the monastery in the Jordan Valley.
    Inside, colourful mosaics and frescoes adorn its ancient walls.
    To shed light on the site's cultural and historic significance and boost the tourism activity in the area, the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism says it is in talks with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to try and add the site to the World Heritage list.
    Head of Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Jericho, Eyad Hamdan says the the work is in progress.
    "The (Palestinian) Ministry of Tourism was aware of the importance of these areas, valleys and monasteries from the beginning. Attention was given to the importance of registering these monasteries and other sites in the International list of the world heritage sites," he said.
    The site of the monastery is some 5 kilometres away from the Jordan river where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was baptised.
    Towards the end of the site stands the fortress palace of the Roman-anointed "King of the Jews," Herod the Great.
    Hamdan explains more.
    "The water that comes from different areas in Palestine, pours in the Jordan river. This (Wadi Qelt) is one of the Jordan river's creeks. At the end of Wadi Qelt locates (King) Herod's winter palace and the canals (in the Wadi) used to provide it with water," said Hamdan.
    Herod has a special place in biblical history.
    He rebuilt the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and the Gospel of Matthew says he ordered the "Massacre of the Innocents", the killing of male infants in Jesus's birthplace of Bethlehem out of fear of losing his throne to a new "king of the Jews".
    Herod, born in around 74 BC, had chosen to be buried at the desert fortress he built around 23 BC and which he used as a summer palace.
    According to Christian Orthodox belief, the monastery was built in the location of the cave in which Elijah the Prophet hid from Queen Jezebel.
    Other traditions cite the cave as the location in which saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Virgin Mary, were told by an angel they would have a child.
    A Romanian tourist, Toyodor, who was visiting the site said that it is an important place for people who believe in God.
    "There is a place of the history of the greatest monotheistic religions in the world and have to put in chronological order. The mosaic, the Judaic, the Christians and the Muslims. So that is an important place for everybody who believe in a god to come and to visit the area," said Toyodor.
    Archaeologists discovered the original monastery was built in the late Byzantine period (324 AD-638 AD), making it one of the oldest monasteries in the region.
    The structure was demolished first by Persian conquerors in 614 AD and then again at a later period.
    The current building was constructed by the Greek Orthodox Church in the 19th century and is home to several monks.
    Palestinian tour guide, Musa Elyan, said that the ancient monastery attracts many Christian Orthodox pilgrims.
    "In Wadi Al Qelt there are many springs since the Roman era. The water run in canals to Jericho (down the valley). Mostly the Christian Orthodox come here to visit because the site is under the control of the Greek Orthodox church," he said.
    Palestinians have already succeeded in adding the farmed valleys at the West Bank village of Battir near Jerusalem to the UNESCO World Heritage list, in June 2014.
    The birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem is another Palestinian site inscribed on UNESCO's list, in addition to the old city walls of Jerusalem.
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