A senior UN official on Monday voiced his concern over the Israeli government's decision to include two West Bank shrines into the Jewish state's list of heritage sites.
In a statement sent to the media, Robert Serry, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East peace process, said he was " concerned" since the two sites are located "in occupied Palestinian territory and are of historical and religious significance not only to Judaism but also to Islam, and to Christianity as well."
On Sunday, Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper reported that the Israeli government approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call to add Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem and the Cave of the Patriarchs (Sanctuary of Abraham) in Hebron to the Israeli national heritage sites.
"I urge Israel not to take any steps on the ground which undermine trust or could prejudice negotiations, the resumption of which should be the highest shared priority of all who seek peace," Serry added.
The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) refuses to resume the negotiations with Israel, citing Jewish settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the two territories that would form most of the future Palestinian state.
Meanwhile, Serry called for "restraint and calm" as tens of Palestinian protesters clashed with Israeli soldiers in Hebron. Witnesses said the Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians who threw stones and hurled rocks at the soldiers.
The clashes took place as Hebron city went on a strike to protest the announcement of classifying what the Palestinians call Ibrahim's Mosque in Hebron as Jewish heritage shrine.
Serry, who visited Hebron last week, said he wishes to see " more positive steps by Israel to enable Palestinian development and state-building in the area and throughout the West Bank."
The Israeli government's decision, which comes at a time when Washington tries to revive the Middle East peace talks, sparked outraged responses by all Palestinian prayers.
Islamic Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, called for "countering the Israeli decision by force and use all means to prevent it from being implemented."
"We call for popular Arab and Islamic uprising to defend the holy Islamic places," said Mohammed al-Agha, Hamas' Minster of Tourism.
Hamas' bitter rival, President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party, said the latest announcement by the Israeli government was" a new crime and one of Netanyahu government's most dangerous sudden attacks to ruin the peace initiatives."
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