Israel rejects UNESCO decision on ‘Occupied Palestine’

Israel “totally rejects” the shameful resolution on ‘Occupied Palestine’ adopted today at the plenary of the 197th Session of UNESCO’s Executive Board, the Foreign Ministry says in a statement.

“The resolution,” says the ministry, “aims to transform the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a religious confrontation and its adoption is a disgrace for UNESCO’s Executive Board. The Executive Board has joined the pyromaniacs seeking to set fire to the most sensitive sites to humankind. The decision is an abuse of UNESCO’s mandate.”

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova yesterday expressed her strong opposition to the resolution, which constitutes “taking the protection of cultural heritage hostage” and “undermining UNESCO’s mandate and efforts.”

Instead of striving to reduce tensions, the Foreign Ministry statement says, “the authors of the resolution are working to fuel the flames in the region, using irresponsible religious rhetoric and distorting history.”

The decision is “yet another step” in the Palestinians’ “continuous endeavor to rewrite history and distort the sources of World Heritage in this part of the World. The Palestinian leadership’s attempt to claim for themselves Jewish and Christian Holy Sites doesn’t bode well; suffice to look at the torching of Joseph’s Tomb by Palestinians just a few days ago. The deep Jewish ties to the holy sites in Jerusalem and its surroundings are undeniable and no decision of UNESCO can alter that,” the statement concludes.

— Raphael Ahren