Prehistoric ruins near Jericho declared World Heritage Site in Palestine
The United Nations has declared the prehistoric ruins near the ancient city of Jericho in the occupied West Bank as a World Heritage Site in Palestine. The ruins, known as Tell es-Sultan, date back to the ninth millennium BCE and contain evidence of prehistoric human activity. The decision was made at a meeting of the UN World Heritage Committee in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the auspices of UNESCO. The listing has been criticized by Israel, which controls the territory and does not recognize a Palestinian state.