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Israel slams UNESCO decision denying Jewish connection with Temple Mount

Xinhua, April 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed UNESCO late Saturday for saying Jews "do not have a connection" with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

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 executive board of UNESCO gathered Friday in Paris and passed a motion that does not recognize Jewish ties to the Temple Mount, a site holy to both Jews and Muslims in east Jerusalem.

The resolution referred to the site solely as Al-Aqsa Mosque, believing it is where Prophet Mohammad ascended to heaven. It also denounced Israeli actions against Palestinians in east Jerusalem.

Jews, however, believe the site is part of an ancient Jewish temple.

"This is yet another absurd UN decision," said Netanyahu, who often accuses the UN of being biased against Israel, adding that the world body is "rewriting a basic part of human history and has again proven that there is no low to which it will not stoop."

Israel's Ambassador to UNESCO Carmel Shama said in a statement following the publication of the resolution that regardless of UNESCO's decision, "Jerusalem will always remain as part of the capital of Israel and the Jewish people."

The Temple Mount, or the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which Israel occupied from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast War, has been under joint supervision of Israel and Jordan following the 1994 peace agreement.

The site has been a vortex of strife and violence since October amid attempts by right-wing Israeli activists and some lawmakers to allow Jews to pray in the site, and therefore to change its status quo.

During related violence, nearly 30 Israelis have been killed in attacks by Palestinians, and around 200 Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces during protests or after trying to carry out attacks.

Netanyahu has repeatedly said that Israel intends to keep the status quo intact and criticized "extremists" who wish to stir provocations at the site. Endi