UNESCO’s executive committee is expected to vote on another anti-Israel resolution, stating everything Israel does in Jerusalem is illegal, on the same day that Israel celebrates its Independence Day.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) executive committee is expected to vote on another politicized, anti-Israel decision regarding Jerusalem – a decision stating that everything Israel does in Jerusalem is illegal.
As in the case of past anti-Israel resolutions, the text was authored by Arab states.
Voting on the decision will take place on May 2nd, when Israel celebrates its 69th Independence Day.
“The Executive Board of UNESCO refuses to put a stop to the politicization that is impairing the organization’s standing,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement over the weekend. “Contrary to the recommendation of UNESCO’s director-general and despite the promises and statements made in the past year by various leaders, UNESCO continues the ritual of proposing an anti-Israel resolution that criticizes every action Israel takes in Jerusalem, adopts past resolutions denying the connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem, and recycles political condemnations against Israel concerning the Gaza Strip.”
Just last week, UNESCO’s Director General Irina Bokova pledged to defend the rightful links of all three monotheistic religions to Jerusalem, while emphasizing the historical Jewish connection to the city.
“To deny, conceal, or erase any of the Jewish, Christian or Muslim traditions runs counter to the reasons that justified its inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list,” Bokova stated.
European Backing
Several countries opposed a string of UNESCO motions denying the Jewish bond to Jerusalem, including the US, the Czech Republic, and Italy, and several others apologized for their vote against Israel and pledged to refrain from doing so in the future.
However, they are not standing by their promise, the foreign ministry accused, including Germany, which is actively supporting the resolution..
“Instead of stopping the politicization as they have promised Israel, European Union delegates actually support it by proposing their own drafts on the subject of Jerusalem and other issues which are totally outside of UNESCO’s mandate. Israel expects all UNESCO member countries to vote against this absurd resolution,” the statement demanded.
“The proposed resolution will not affect our determination to operate in Jerusalem for the benefit of all the city’s residents. It will, however, impair UNESCO’s deteriorating status and relevance,” Israel warned.
A UNESCO resolution promoted by Muslim countries in October denied Jewish ties to Jerusalem and the Land of Israel.
A similar UNESCO resolution is slated to be voted on at the World Heritage Committee in July, and Israel and the US have engaged in a diplomatic campaign to garner opposition to it.
Bokova herself has condemned UNESCO’s anti-Israel resolutions and received death threats after expressing her personal opposition to the absurd resolution passed by her organization.
Carmel Shama Hacohen, Israel’s ambassador to UNESCO, wrote on his Facebook page on Friday that the Arab countries have withdrawn the original offensive text, and that the Europeans are negotiating a new and more Israel-friendly text.
