The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization adopted a rather ludicrous resolution pushed by Palestinians that Jewish people have zero ties to the Temple Mount. A bit odd since it’s the holiest site in Judaism. A bit odd since the Wailing Wall is located there. There are historic ties to the Temple Mount for people of the Jewish faith, but the United Nations, in their infinite wisdom—has decided to throw those facts under the bus. European nations abstained from the vote, six other nations, including the United States, voted against the resolution. It was backed mostly by Arab countries (via Haaretz):
UNESCO adopted an anti-Israel resolution Thursday that disregards Judaism's historic connection to the Temple Mount and casts doubt on the link between Judaism and the Western Wall.Twenty-four countries voted in favor of the decision while six voted against and 26 abstained while just two were missing from the vote.
The U.S., Britain, Germany, Holland, Lithuania and Estonia voted against the resolution.
A senior source said that the efforts of Israeli diplomats significantly changed the votes of European states, none of which supported the motion. Israeli efforts, he said, succeeded in swaying France, Sweden, Slovenia, Argentina, Togo and India to abstain from the vote.
The resolution, which condemns Israel on several issues regarding Jerusalem and its holy sites, was advanced by the Palestinians alongside Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar and Sudan.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the vote saying, "To say that Israel has no connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is like saying that China has no connection to the Great Wall of China and that Egypt has no connection to the Pyramids."
Haaretz added that Israel’s ambassador to UNESCO, Carmel Shama-Hacohen, noted that the vote showed that Palestinian support in Europe had collapsed. Still, it’s another gross example of anti-Israel sentiment at the UN.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member