NEW YORK (Press Release) — Leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations strongly criticized the resolution passed recently by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, in which it labeled the historic and sacred Jewish burial site of Rachel’s Tomb a mosque.
“The UNESCO resolution is an affront to history and to truth and to the very principles that UNESCO was formed to protect. To describe the site as a ‘historic mosque,’ as UNESCO has done on previous occasions, including this past spring, is a total distortion and misrepresentation of the facts. For thousands of years, Rachel’s Tomb has been recognized as the burial site of the Jewish matriarch, including during the Ottoman Empire when it was referred to as ‘Qubbat Rukhail.’
“This designation of Rachel’s Tomb as ‘Bilal bin Rabah Mosque’ did not appear until the mid-1990s. For a millennium, Jews have held this site sacred as the place where Jacob buried his beloved wife Rachel, as recounted in the Bible. Rachel’s Tomb has been the site of Jewish pilgrimages throughout the ages, including current times, and has never been a mosque. In addition, identifying Rachel’s Tomb and the Tomb of the Patriarchs as Palestinian completely disregards the Biblical references to their Jewish origins.”
“The Israeli proposal addressed by the UNESCO resolution designates national shrines in Israel for preservation and in no way changes their status. We note with appreciation the rejection by the U.S. of this resolution. We only wish more countries had the courage to stand against this deliberate manipulation and politicization of the UN body that was created to preserve and protect historic sites. We welcome the assurances by the government of Israel that it will continue to protect and preserve these holy sites for the benefit of all people,” said Conference of Presidents Chairman Alan Solow and Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein.
*
Calling them “highly politicized and one-sided,” the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) meanwhile also expressed concern over biased resolutions against Israel passed by UNESCO.
A series of resolutions passed October 21 by the 193-member UN body regarding Jewish holy sites in Bethlehem and Hebron, and regarding archeological excavations in Jerusalem, fail to provide equal treatment to Israel and ignore the Jewish people’s biblical, religious and historic connections to those sites. The resolutions instead favor Palestinian interests and perspectives.
“The resolutions passed by UNESCO’s Executive board regarding Israeli archeological projects in Jerusalem and Jewish holy sites in Bethlehem and Hebron, reflect a highly politicized and one-sided bias against Israel,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. “They play into the hands of the Palestinian rejection of the Israeli and Jewish narrative, making peace impossible.”
Included in the resolutions are a call to monitor Israeli archeological projects and excavations in Jerusalem, but no mention of Palestinian work on the Al Aqsa mosque compound which has destroyed important archeological artifacts and locations.
Other resolutions regarding Jewish holy sites — including the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem — reflect a similar bias, providing only a Palestinian perspective, while disregarding the Jewish religious connection. One resolution exclusively uses Arabic and English names for the sites, failing to list the Hebrew names as well.
“Israel’s decision to designate these holy places as Jewish heritage sites reflects the age-old significance of these sites to the Jewish people,” Mr. Foxman added. “It does nothing to deny the connection Muslims have towards these sites, nor does it impact Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.”
In a letter to Irina Bokova, UNESCO’s Director-General, ADL questioned why the UN body’s Executive Board felt it necessary to comment on the Gaza blockade and express concern about Israel’s security barrier and the Golan Heights, saying such purely political statements are not relevant to UNESCO’s mission.
“These resolutions have served to raise our concern that UNESCO is approaching issues related to Israel and Jewish heritage sites in the region in a highly and inappropriately political manner,” the letter stated. “It is greatly troubling that an organization established to protect historic sites around the world is addressing these issues from a purely Palestinian and Muslim perspective.”
*
Preceding provided by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Anti-Defamation League