Israel slams UNESCO’s plan to declare Temple Mount ‘Muslim’
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israel on Thursday was outraged to learn that the U.N.’s heritage body was planning to adopt a resolution declaring the Temple Mount sacred to “Muslims only.”
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) 21-member World Heritage Committee is set to vote on the resolution, a joint Palestinian-Jordanian initiative, during its annual meeting in Istanbul, which began on Sunday and runs through next week. The resolution calls for a return to the “historic status quo” on the Temple Mount, which it sees as favoring Muslims.
In June, UNESCO adopted a resolution deciding to refer to the holy Jerusalem site only by its Muslim name — Al-Aqsa mosque — in all official documents. The current resolution is far more radical, and to Israel’s surprise, it has received the EU’s blessing.
Political sourced told Israel Hayom that Brussels’ decision to back the move most likely stems from the ongoing crisis between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the EU, which seems to be escalating into an actual rift.
“Israel is very concerned by the EU intent to propose a resolution negating the Jewish people’s link to the Temple Mount. This would be an alternative proposal to the Palestinian draft currently being discussed by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee during its meeting in Istanbul,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The EU’s proposal continues to deny the Jewish people’s historic ties to Temple Mount, despite France’s apology in April, admitting it was wrong to support UNESCO’s decision to address the Temple Mount only as Al-Aqsa mosque.”
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Israeli and Jewish leaders condemn France’s Bastille Day terror attack
(JNS.org) Israeli and Jewish leaders condemned the bloody Bastille Day terror attack in Nice, France on Thursday that has left at least 84 people dead.
“Israel strongly condemns the terrible terror attack. Israelis stand united with the French people,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
“Israel is willing to help the French government fight this evil until it is defeated,” he added.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin wrote a letter to his counterpart French President Francois Hollande where he urged a united front against terrorism.
“On behalf of the Israeli public, please accept our deepest condolences over this terrible incident,” Rivlin wrote. “We must work together to eradicate terrorism, and wherever terrorists hide — we will find them. Israel and the Israeli people stand shoulder to should with France and its public in the face of this evil, as should all of the free world.”
The Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (CRIF) said it was “horrified” by the attack that occurred on Bastille Day, a holiday marking the beginning of the French Revolution that is viewed as a day of national unity in France.
“The hydra of terrorism has struck again,” CRIF said in a statement. “More than ever, the national community must be united and strong. The fight against terrorism must also be global. The terrorists have the same objectives in Paris, Nice, Brussels, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and around the world.”
The terror attack occurred late Thursday night when a truck was rammed through crowds of pedestrians who were attending a fireworks show marking Bastille Day in France.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that a 31-year-old French-Tunisian man named Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel was behind Thursday’s massacre. Bouhlel, who had reportedly lived in Nice, was described as a loner and not particularly religious by neighbors, and was only known to police for committing petty crimes and was not suspected to have been radicalized.
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The Anti-Defamation League issued the following statement:
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) welcomed today’s statement by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, who condemned attempts to deny the Jewish connection to Jerusalem.
At UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, currently meeting in Istanbul, a draft resolution on the Old City of Jerusalem is being negotiated. A similar resolution in April by UNESCO’s Executive Board condemned Israel for alleged “Jewish fake graves” on the Temple Mount, called the Temple Mount/Holy Sanctuary solely by its Muslim name, and referred to the Western Wall Plaza in quotation marks, after using its Muslim name.
“We welcome Director-General Bokova’s unequivocal statement against politicized actions of member states of the World Heritage Committee to deny the Jewish connection to Jerusalem,” said Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO. “We hope her warning will be heeded by responsible governments, whose representatives sit on the committee, and that they will prevent any resolutions that will distress Jews around the world and mar UNESCO’s reputation.”
In April, France and Brazil expressed regret for their votes. ADL expressed hope that the other nations will not make that mistake again.
On July, 11 the League wrote to Director-General Bokova to urge her to use “the moral voice of your office to protect the integrity of Jerusalem as a holy city to the three monotheistic religions.”