Abstract

Cultural heritage is part of the make-up of current Palestinian culture and creates a primary foundation for social, cultural, and economic development for the Palestinian people. This is in spite of such problematic issues as the lack of professional specialized staff, illegal archaeological excavations, or the division of territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which limit Palestinian control of its people's heritage. I argue that it is essential to see a heritage site not only as an artefact of past civilizations, but also as part of the present economic and political challenges to sustainability and that younger generations and the local community should develop a strong consciousness of the importance of their own involvement in its management.