European states oppose UNESCO resolution on Western Wall

Many European countries oppose the UNESCO resolution that would declare the Western Wall in Jerusalem a Muslim site in its current form, and are trying to either get the wording changed or remove it altogether, sources tell The Times of Israel.

According to a senior European diplomat, the Russians are currently considering submitting a no-action motion, which would mean that the Palestinians’ resolution is withdrawn and not voted on. Many European Union member states would support such a move, a senior European diplomat says.

“Broadly, we agree with the comments from the director-general,” the diplomat says, referring to UNESCO chief Irina Bokova’s statement today in which she says she “deplores” the proposal since it “could further incite tensions.”

Bokova’s statement marked the first time the organization’s director-general has publicly weighed in a vote to be taken by the executive board, a step for which she was widely criticized by several member states.

Some of the text of the Palestinian draft resolution – submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Kuwait, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates – is “very unhelpful” and “clearly unacceptable,” the senior diplomat says, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

If the resolution is not withdrawn, Western officials will work on the text and try “to get rid of the most troubling passages,” the diplomat says. If the Arab states behind the motion refuse to amend the text then many European states can be expected to vote against it.

The vote is scheduled for Wednesday but some states are trying to postpone it.

— Raphael Ahren