Tentative States of Heritage Facts-­‐in-­‐the ground as facts-­‐on-­‐the-­‐ground in the Tentative Lists of Israel and Palestine

Abstract

In 2011 Palestine became a member state of UNESCO and ratified the World Heritage Convention. When Palestine became a State Party of the convention a new arena, the super bowl of cultural heritage, known as the World Heritage List occurred for the heritage sector for Palestine. In this arena the conflicting states of the Holy Land, Israel and Palestine, are equals. This thesis presents the properties listed on the Tentative Lists (the list from which properties for the World Heritage List are chosen) of Israel and Palestine and it compares the two lists with focus on the presentation of history and how it is used to claim the same land. The outset of the thesis is that history is chosen parts of the past and that cultural heritage is a process that is created by its involved actors. The Tentative List as a tool, are part of an UNESCO framework that have been criticised to be part of an authorized heritage discourse, this thesis can therefore be seen as analysis of official state heritage. In the light of the ongoing conflict between the two States Parties the use of history to make political and territorial claims are analysed through the use of language and wording, the use of criteria attached to properties, and properties association to religion. The thesis further demonstrates how these claims form different types of inclusion/exclusion.