US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley has spoken out against the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) decision to recognise the West Bank city of Hebron and the Tomb of the Patriarchs as a Palestinian heritage site.
“UNESCO has voted to designate the Old City of Hebron and the Tomb of the Patriarchs as part of Palestinian territory and a World Heritage site despite protests by the United States, Israel, and other countries,” read Haley’s statement.
“The UNESCO vote on Hebron is tragic on several levels. It represents an affront to history. It undermines the trust that is needed for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process to be successful. And it further discredits an already highly questionable UN agency. Today’s vote does no one any good and causes much harm.”
“In 2011, in compliance with statutory funding restrictions, the United States stopped funding UNESCO after it admitted the Palestinians as a Member State. While the United States is still on the 58-member UNESCO Executive Board, it no longer has voting rights in the UNESCO General Conference. The United States is currently evaluating the appropriate level of its continued engagement at UNESCO.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued his own, video statement in response to UNESCO’s decision. “This is another delusional UNESCO decision. This time they decided that the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron is a Palestinian site, meaning that it is not Jewish, and that the site is in danger. Not a Jewish site? Who is buried there? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah—our patriarchs and matriarchs! And the site is in danger? It is only in those places where Israel is, such as Hebron, that freedom of religion for all is ensured.
In the Middle East, mosques, churches and synagogues in every other place, are being bombed—in places that are not Israel. We will continue to protect the Tomb of the Patriarchs, freedom of religion for all and the truth.”
PM Netanyahu Statement on UNESCO Hebron Resolution
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the UNESCO resolution (English captions available):This is another delusional UNESCO decision.This time they decided that the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron is a Palestinian site, meaning that it is not Jewish, and that the site is in danger. Not a Jewish site?! Who is buried there? Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah – our patriarchs and matriarchs! And the site is in danger? It is only in those places where Israel is, such as Hebron, that freedom of religion for all is ensured.In the Middle East, mosques, churches and synagogues in every other place, are being bombed – in places that are not Israel. We will continue to protect the Tomb of the Patriarchs, freedom of religion for all and the truth.
Posted by The Prime Minister of Israel on Friday, July 7, 2017
