UNESCO backs Jordan as site of Jesus' baptism

Decision rebuffed by some Bible scholars who say no solid archaeological evidence supports it

For years, Christian pilgrims have waded into the Jordan River from both its eastern and western banks to connect with a core event of their faith - the baptism of Jesus. The parallel traditions allowed Jordan and Israel to compete for tourism dollars in marketing one of Christianity's most important sites.

But now UNESCO has weighed in on the rivalry, designating Jordan's baptismal area on the eastern bank a World Heritage site. The UN cultural agency declared this month that the site "is believed to be" the location of Jesus' baptism, based on what it said is a view shared by most Christian churches.