JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - A war-wrecked bridge whose reconstruction raised hopes that Bosnia could rebuild a multiethnic society and biblical remains in Israel were among 17 cultural wonders added to the U.N. list of protected World Heritage Sites, officials said Saturday.

The additions were made at the 29th session of the U.N. Environmental, Scientific and Cultural Organization's World Heritage Committee taking place this week in Durban.

The ancient stone bridge known as Stari Most - or Old Bridge - survived centuries of conflict, including two world wars, before shells shattered it in 1993.

The span built under the Turkish Ottoman empire gave Mostar its name, and its destruction became a symbol of the senseless brutality of Bosnia's war. It was rebuilt and many of the surrounding buildings restored with the help of a scientific committee set up by UNESCO.

"The reconstructed site is a symbol of reconciliation, international cooperation and of the coexistence of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious communities," the 21-member heritage committee said in a statement Saturday.

In Israel, more than 200 tells - prehistoric settlement mounds - dot the landscape. The three selected for inscription - Megiddo, Hazor and Beer Sheba - contain the remains of cities with biblical connections.

Four Israeli towns along the ancient incense route also were added to the list. Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta, along with their associated fortresses and agricultural landscapes, are located in the Negev Desert.

UNESCO's World Heritage Committee is responsible for implementing the 1972 U.N. Convention on the protection of cultural and natural sites around the world. Forty-two new sites were proposed for inclusion on the World Heritage List at this week's meeting.