Netanyahu: UNESCO Resolution on Al-Aqsa Mosque is Worthless

Israeli Prime Minister reacted to UNESCO's recent decision regarding the lack of religious connection of Jews to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Western Wall, calling it "another disastrous decision by the United Nations." Netanyahu stated on Saturday, April 28, that this decision is "another sign of ignoring the history of Jews in this land" by global institutions. UNESCO, the cultural, scientific, and educational organization affiliated with the United Nations, on Friday, April 27, emphasized in a resolution during its semi-annual board meeting that the Al-Aqsa Mosque is a Muslim place of worship and has no historical connection to Jews. The resolution was passed with the support of 33 countries; six countries voted against it, and seventeen countries abstained. France, where UNESCO is headquartered, was among the supporters of this resolution. According to Israeli media, Netanyahu referred to the UNESCO resolution as "ridiculous and worthless," asserting that "Judaism has a unique historical connection to the Temple Mount." He claimed that throughout thousands of years of history, two sacred temples of Jews existed at this location, and UNESCO's decision seeks to "rewrite history." Carmel Shama-Hacohen, Israel's ambassador to UNESCO, also described the resolution as "a repetition of Palestinian rhetoric" and stated that "Palestinians want to forge history." The Israeli ambassador claimed that "these Palestinian fabrications show that they do not deserve to have a country." Jews assert that the "Temple Mount" is the remnant of Solomon's Temple and the ruins of two sacred temples of Jews. They argue that after significant parts of this structure were destroyed in regional battles, Umar, the second caliph of Muslims, built the foundations of the Umar and Al-Aqsa mosques on it during his conquests. Al-Aqsa, or the Noble Sanctuary, is located in East Jerusalem. Israel has controlled this part of Jerusalem since the 1967 war and continues to maintain this control to this day. Al-Aqsa has always been a catalyst for violent and extensive conflicts over the past 49 years. Al-Aqsa is considered the "first qibla" of Muslims and is the third most important Islamic holy site after the Al-Haram Mosque and the Prophet Mosque in Mecca and Medina, respectively. In its resolution on Friday, UNESCO called for the status of the Al-Aqsa Mosque to revert to conditions before the year 2000; prior to the fall of 2000, the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf managed these sites. Ariel Sharon's visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the year 2000 as the then-opposition leader led to severe provocation among Palestinians; the bloody Intifada that lasted five years and resulted in thousands of Israeli and Palestinian deaths began after this visit. The UNESCO resolution also criticized Israel for not allowing Palestinians to bury their dead in Islamic cemeteries within the premises of Islamic holy sites. This is the first time that UNESCO not only describes Al-Aqsa as a mosque solely for Muslims in a resolution but also states that Jews have no religious rights over the "Temple Mount" and the "Western Wall." The resolution emphasizes that Al-Aqsa is located in occupied territory and condemns Jewish efforts to excavate in these areas and "alter Islamic and Byzantine remains." The UNESCO resolution was issued at a time when severe violence has once again engulfed the lives of Israelis and Palestinians over the past six months; this violence was sparked by the presence of a number of extremist Jews at Al-Aqsa. Palestinians have recently warned against the renewed presence of Jews at Al-Aqsa during the Jewish Passover, stating that this could further ignite unrest. The Jewish Passover begins on Friday, April 21.