February 22, 2010 9:40 AM

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Israel adds West Bank shrines to heritage list

<br/>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a controversial plan to add two major religious sites in the West Bank to the country's national heritage list. Mr. Netanyahu told his cabinet that the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem would now be included in the 107 million dollar restoration plan.<br/><br/> The Palestinian Authority warned the decision would wreck peace efforts. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have been frozen for more than a year with the Palestinian Authority refusing to participate until Israel halts settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel has scaled back construction in the West Bank but it does not consider areas within the Jerusalem municipality to be settlements.<br/><br/> Mr Netanyahu said the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Rachel's Tomb had to be preserved because they showed Israel's ancient ties to the land.<br/>

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