Arab States to Challenge Israeli Sovereignty Over Jerusalem at Upcoming UNESCO Meeting
by JNS.org
JNS.org – According to a resolution draft obtained by Israeli government officials, Arab states plan to challenge Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem at the upcoming UNESCO executive board meeting in Paris, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Although the text does not explicitly comment on the Temple Mount and Western Wall, it does classify Jewish holy sites such as the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem as being “an integral part of Palestine.”
The resolution states: “Any action taken by Israel, the Occupying Power, to impose its laws, jurisdiction, and administration on the city of Jerusalem, are illegal and therefore null and void and have no validity whatsoever.”
The text was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Sudan on behalf of the Palestinians, and marks the first time Arab states have contested Israeli sovereignty in western Jerusalem.
A vote on the resolution will be cast at UNESCO on May 1.
The UNESCO resolution comes amid new efforts by the Trump administration to negotiate a regional peace accord.