The UN has passed yet another anti-Israel resolution denying historical and archaeological evidence proving a long-existing Jewish presence on the Temple Mount. 

In blatant disregard of history, archaeology and plain common sense, the executive board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted a resolution on Friday that ignores Jewish historical ties to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

With 33 votes in favor, six against, and 17 abstentions, the resolution solely refers to the Temple Mount areas by their Muslim names—Al-Aqsa Mosque/Haram al-Sharif—with the exception of two references to the Western Wall Plaza in parentheses, the Jerusalem Post reported. The resolution also referred to the Western Wall plaza by its Muslim name, Al-Buraq Plaza.

Last October, UNESCO dropped language from a resolution led by six Arab states Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates on behalf of the Palestinians, that called the Western Wall an “integral part” of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound on the Temple Mount. But that language was removed from the resolution in order to garner more support for the measure. At the time, UNESCO did confirm then that the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem, two prominent Jewish holy sites, are part of the none-existent “State of Palestine.

The latest UNESCO resolution criticized a number of Israeli actions on the Temple Mount, such as plans to build an egalitarian prayer space near Robinson’s Arch, and called on Israel not to restrict Muslim worshippers from the Temple Mount, an unsubstantiated claim.

The measure also condemned ongoing violence on the Temple Mount, but solely focused on alleged Israeli actions and not Muslim rioters.

The resolution calls on Israel to restore the status on the Temple Mount to what it was prior to September 2000 when the second Intifada broke out. At that time, according to the resolution, the Jordan Wakf had full control of the Temple Mount, including maintenance and restoration work and regulating access.

The resolution also charged that Israel had placed “Jewish fake graves” in other Muslim cemeteries located on Wakf property east and south of the Aksa mosque.

Another Absurd UN Resolution

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday rejected the measure as “another absurd” UN resolution.

“This is yet another absurd UN decision. UNESCO ignores the unique historic connection of Judaism to the Temple Mount, where the two temples stood for a thousand years and to which every Jew in the world has prayed for thousands of years,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

“The UN is rewriting a basic part of human history and has again proven that there is no low to which it will not stoop,” he charged.

 JNS.org and United with Israel Staff