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[DXB-KNIGHT]

The Temple Mount, known to Muslims as el-Harem al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) with it's golden Dome of the Rock Islamic shrine and lead-domed al-Aqsa mosque, dominates this aerial view of the Old City of Jerusalem.


The UN's cultural agency Unesco has adopted a motion which marginalises Jewish ties to several holy sites in Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the resolution, sponsored by several Arab countries, denies the Jewish connection to holy sites in Jerusalem and is a "theatre of the absurd".

Mr Netanyahu asked on his Facebook page: "Is it any wonder the UN has become a moral farce when Unesco, the UN body tasked with preserving history, denies and distorts history?"

The Independent

 

[Sami+]

I trust Unesco's judgement over Israel and especially that pos Bibi.

 

[SkeptiMism]

Link's not working.

 

[Makonero]

Kinda stupid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Mount#In_Judaism

Jewish connection and veneration to the site arguably stems from the fact that it contains the Foundation Stone which, according to the rabbis of the Talmud, was the spot from where the world was created and expanded into its current form.[123][124] It was subsequently the Holy of Holies of the Temple, the Most Holy Place in Judaism.[60] Jewish tradition names it as the location for a number of important events which occurred in the Bible, including the Binding of Isaac, Jacob's dream, and the prayer of Isaac and Rebekah.[125] Similarly, when the Bible recounts that King David purchased a threshing floor owned by Araunah the Jebusite,[126] tradition locates it as being on this mount. An early Jewish text, the Genesis Rabba, states that this site is one of three about which the nations of the world cannot taunt Israel and say "you have stolen them," since it was purchased "for its full price" by David.[127] According to the Bible, David wanted to construct a sanctuary there, but this was left to his son Solomon, who completed the task in c. 950 BCE with the construction of the First Temple.[128]

 

[RustyNails]

Wow this is huge. Isn't Jerusalem the entire reason why the Zion movement was formed?

 

[egruntz]

That determination won't convince anyone otherwise. I'm curious how they ruled that myself lol.

 

[Kolx]

I trust Unesco's judgement over Israel and especially that pos Bibi.

First post nails it.

 

[El Topo]

Kinda stupid.

It's not stupid, it's a political move. They know very well that this motion is nonsense.
Here is a statement by the director of Unesco.

First post nails it.

All the first post shows is an embarassing lack of knowledge.

 

[Makonero]

It's not stupid, it's a political move. They know very well that this motion is a lie.

Right, but look at all the folks here who accept it blindly? I guess it's smarter of a move than I thought.

 

[SkeptiMism]

I trust Unesco's judgement over Israel and especially that pos Bibi.

Yeah I'd really like to have some actual info here.

Like what does this mean?

The UN's cultural agency Unesco has adopted a motion which marginalises Jewish ties to several holy sites in Jerusalem.

Marginalises how? What happened exactly? What did they decide on really? Why did they decide what they did.

Netanyahu's speech means absolutely nothing. Can't trust anything the guy says.

But I'm waiting for the OP to actually update the link to see if the article contains any actual proper info.

 

[Ucchedavāda]

Working link to the article:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...le-sanctuary-el-harem-al-sharif-a7360776.html

And to the resolution itself:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6243

 

[El Topo]

Right, but look at all the folks here who accept it blindly?

Those people only expose themselves, see e.g. the "Israel opens dam into Gaza Valley" thread from 2015.

 

[WedgeX]

Uhh so here's UNESCO's actual resolution.

And the director of UNESCO's statement.

The resolution is very similar to a resolution last year.

Last year's very similar resolution can be found here.

Seems like a manufactured controversy, really.

 

[Chairman Yang]

Wait, unless I'm misunderstanding something, isn't the resolution just referring to the site solely by its Muslim names, instead of both its Muslim and Jewish names? I think the topic and article are overreacting, if that's the case. It's an unfortunate case of politicization, but I don't think Unesco is saying the site has "nothing to do with Judaism".

 

[gaugebozo]

Working link to the article:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...le-sanctuary-el-harem-al-sharif-a7360776.html

And to the resolution itself:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6243

Thank you!

From what I can see, the specific marginalization Netanyahu gave was only referring to the areas by their names for Muslims, and not explicitly referring to the Jewish connections.

I only skimmed the UNESCO document, but it seems like a laundry list of things Israel has done to it and neighboring sites, with no specific claim that the area was not involved in Jewish history.

I think the takeaway is that Netanyahu is running interference on what is a very damaging list of the things Israel has done to sites in old Jerusalem, and their refusal to fix them.

 

[SkeptiMism]

Working link to the article:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...le-sanctuary-el-harem-al-sharif-a7360776.html

And to the resolution itself:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6243

Thank you.

Reading the resolution, where do they actually do any of this?

The UN's cultural agency Unesco has adopted a motion which marginalises Jewish ties to several holy sites in Jerusalem.

Honest question. I'm having hard time seeing it. It does speak of the place by its Muslim names, but I think that makes sense as the place is under Israeli occupation, and the problem seems to be that they're not giving muslims any access to it. Or do I misunderstand?

 

[WedgeX]

Wait, unless I'm misunderstanding something, isn't the resolution just referring to the site solely by its Muslim names, instead of both its Muslim and Jewish names? I think the topic and article are overreacting, if that's the case. It's an unfortunate case of politicization, but I don't think Unesco is saying the site has "nothing to do with Judaism".

Since the resolution states:

Affirming the importance of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls for the three monotheistic religions, also affirming that nothing in the current decision, which aims, inter alia, at the safeguarding of the cultural heritage of Palestine and the distinctive character of East Jerusalem, shall in any way affect the relevant Security Council and United Nations resolutions and decisions on the legal status of Palestine and Jerusalem,

I'd say you're correct.

 

[JordanN]

"Is it any wonder the UN has become a moral farce when Unesco, the UN body tasked with preserving history, denies and distorts history?"

Netanyahu is right. UN can screw off.

Where were they when the Taliban blew up the rock Buddhas? But they got all the time to condemn Israel.

 

[makingmusic476]

This is their reasoning?

While affirming the importance of the Old City to all three monotheistic religions, Israeli politicians said the resolution denies the importance of the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary by referring to it and the al-Aqsa mosque only by their Muslim names.

ohlookitsnothing.gif

 

[WedgeX]

Netanyahu is right. UN can screw off.

Where were they when the Taliban blew up the rock Buddhas? But they got all the time to condemn Israel.

Its almost like you did not read your own link.

The director general of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Koichiro Matsuura called the destruction a "...crime against culture. It is abominable to witness the cold and calculated destruction of cultural properties which were the heritage of the Afghan people, and, indeed, of the whole of humanity.

 

[Ucchedavāda]

Netanyahu is right. UN can screw off.

Where were they when the Taliban blew up the rock Buddhas? But they got all the time to condemn Israel.

DIRECTOR-GENERAL CONDEMNS TALIBAN'S CRIME AGAINST CULTURE

Paris, March 12 (No.2001-38) - UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura has condemned the Taliban’s destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan - which has been confirmed by his Special Envoy, Pierre Lafrance - and described it as a “crime against culture”.

Mr Matsuura declared: “I was distressed to learn from my Special Envoy, Pierre Lafrance, that the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas was confirmed. In so doing, the Taliban have committed a crime against culture. It is abominable to witness the cold and calculated destruction of cultural properties which were the heritage of the Afghan people, and, indeed, of the whole of humanity. The Buddhas of Bamiyan were not inscribed on the World Heritage List but deserved to be and their destruction represents a true cultural crime.”

...

http://www.unesco.org/bpi/eng/unescopress/2001/01-38e.shtml

 

[Cromat]

This forum once again embarrasses itself over Israel.

The decision shows why the UN is absolutely crap when it comes to this conflict. Embarrassing and racist resolution getting applause here.

 

[SkeptiMism]

This forum once again embarrasses itself over Israel.

The decision shows why the UN is absolutely crap when it comes to this conflict. Embarrassing and racist resolution getting applause here.

Can you actually tell us why it is embarrassing? Why is it racist? Not using Netanyahu's words, but your own.

Honest question. Because yes, I'm having hard time seeing any of that for now, and the people against the decision haven't given any actual insight on it so far. Maybe I'm ignorant here, but please, educate me.

 

[knight123]

Seriously, read the resolution. At no point does it say the temple mount has nothing to do with Judaism.

The temple mount (and the entire old city of Jerusalem) is in East Jerusalem. This is legally part of Palestine, not Israel.
Israel occupied it in 1967 and illegally annexed it in 1980. Israel's control over East Jerusalem isn't recognised internationally which is why all the embassies in Israel are in Tel Aviv, not Jerusalem.
When they first occupied it they demolished the entire historic Moroccan Quarter, killing an elderly woman in the process, to make a plaza in front of the wailing wall.

Since Israel has no right to East Jerusalem, they've had no right to excavate historic sites at the temple mount, build illegal settlement and damage the site, which is what the resolution is condemning!

Zionist groups hate this so they're trotting out this lie. If the resolution said that the site has nothing to do with Judaism then the people outraged by it would be able to quote exactly where it says this, but it doesn't so they can't.

It actually blows my mind how poor news coverage is on Jerusalem. It's incredibly rare for the media to point out how East Jerusalem is illegally occupied and annexed and it's telling how few tourists know the history of the old city, and that they're walking around Palestine, not Israel.