国际英语新闻：Jordanians protest Israeli plan to annex two West Bank sites

AMMAN, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Jordanian activists and members of professional associations staged a sit-in Saturday to protest Israel's plan to annex two historical sites located in the West Bank to its heritage list.

During the sit-in at the headquarters of the country's 14 professional associations, participants called on Arab leaders to take "serious" actions to face Israel's plan.

Controversy arose after Israel decided to add the Cave of the Patriarchs (Sanctuary of Abraham) in Hebron, which is viewed by both Jews and Muslims as a sacred site, and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem to the list of Israeli national heritage. Both sites are located in the West Bank, which the Palestinians claim as part of their future state.

The participants, who slammed Israel for "targeting the Islamic sacred sites in the West Bank," called on the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to take action in light of the Israeli plan.

The participants, who included also members of political parties and the Islamic Action Front, called for annulling the Wadi Araba Peace Treaty that Jordan and Israel signed in 1994.

"Statements of condemnation and rejection of the Zionist plan are not enough. The least that can be done in the face of these measures is to resort to boycotting and canceling all peace treaties to face the Zionist occupation," Ahmad Tbeishat, head of Jordan's professional associations' council, said during the sit- in.

The Jordanian government has already condemned the Israeli plan and said it obstructs peace efforts in the Middle East.