Church of Nativity in Bethlehem. Photo: wiki commons.

The Hill – Three Jewish lawmakers are urging the United Nations to reject Bethlehem’s bid to gain World Heritage designation for the Church of the Nativity, saying it’s a political move by the Palestinians that has nothing to do with protecting the revered site of Jesus Christ’s birth.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is set to make a determination in the coming days. In a letter to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, chairman of the current meeting of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in St. Petersburg, the lawmakers said custodianship of the site has worked well for decades and the Palestinian bid could “undermine the legitimacy of the World Heritage process.”

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