Press Release: EMET is Disturbed by the Anti-Israel and Anti-Semitic Vote by UNESCO Diminishing any Jewish and Christian Connection to Jerusalem

EMET is deeply disturbed by the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic vote by UNESCO diminishing any Jewish and Christian connection to the Old City of Jerusalem

(October 13, 2016, Washington, D.C.) The Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) is disturbed by the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic resolution passed by UNESCO declaring that the Jewish people have no connection to the Old City of Jerusalem. On Thursday, October 13th, 2016, the 200th session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) met in Paris, France. Where they voted on Item 25 of the provisional agenda under “Occupied Palestine” that disregards the historical and validated Jewish and Christian ties to the Old City of Jerusalem. There were 24 countries that voted in favor of the resolution while 6 voted against and 26 abstained.

The resolution refused to refer to the Temple Mount as anything but the Islamic names “Al-Aqsa Mosque” and “Haram al-Sharif.” Further more, it went on to establish that the site is sacred only to Muslims and fails to mention the sacred and historical background of the Temple Mount to the Jewish people.

UNESCO is supposed to be an organization that exists to promote international understanding through protection of heritage and support for cultural diversity, but sadly this action portrays a different picture – one of cultural hatred toward the Jewish people and an effort to delegitimize the Jewish State of Israel.

“No forum or body in the world can say that there is no connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel and to Jerusalem. A body that does so is imply humiliating itself” said Israeli President Reuven Rivilin in response to the vote.

There have been a myriad of historical, factual, and archaeological connections between the Jews and Christians and Jerusalem. There is a deep-rooted historical and religious connection of Jews and Christians to Jerusalem that cannot be denied.

Sarah Stern, the president of the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) says “for over 2,000 years, the Jewish people have been sustained in their belief of a return to Jerusalem, our holiest city. The return to a united, rebuilt Jerusalem has been part of the prayers that we say three times a day. For many years the Palestinian Authority and its cohorts in the international community have tried to erase our history and our historic, religious and cultural ties to Jerusalem. It is absurd to believe that international body is strong enough to eradicate the irrevocable connection of the Jewish people to their holiest city.”

About The Endowment for Middle East Truth

Founded in 2005, EMET’s mission is to educate policymakers in Washington and the general public about the importance of Israel to the United States in their common struggle against radical Islam. For more information, please visitwww.emetonline.org. Follow EMET on Twitter and Facebook.

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