The United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization (UNESCO) passed an anti-Israel resolution for the second time in less than a week on Friday, inscribing the Tomb of the Patriarchs and the Old City of Hebron as a Palestinian world heritage site that is “in danger” because of Israel’s actions.
It is important to note that the city of Hebron is the second holiest city in Judaism with the Tomb of the Patriarchs housing the remains of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the patriarchs of the Jewish faith. To proscribe this area as “Palestinian” is an insult, but to say that Israel’s actions are endangering it is shameful.
The vote took place by secret ballot at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee’s 41st annual summit, which is currently taking place in Krakow, Poland.
Twelve countries voted in favour of the move, while three opposed it. Six countries abstained.
Result: as expected, @UNESCO World Heritage Committee backs Palestinian bid to register Hebron as endangered site: 12-3, with 6 abstentions.
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) July 7, 2017
Votes to inscribe sites onto UNESCO’s World Heritage List are usually done by a show of hands among all the member states. But three countries — Poland, Croatia and Jamaica — requested a secret ballot.
Several Arab states objected to this, leading to a shouting match between delegates, and Israeli Ambassador Carmel Shama-Hacohen storming to the desk of the session’s chairman to make Israel’s case. The kerfuffle ended after the chairman, a Polish diplomat, called in security.
It is important to note that the Arab states objected to this because many countries are scared of openly voting against them, because of their bullying tactics. A secret vote meant there was more chance that people would vote note, rather than abstain. However, their protest at the secret ballot may have even influenced people to abstain.
OK, this was nuts: Arab delegates rushed to podium & shouted at Chair as UNESCO secret vote on Hebron set to begin; followed by Israeli rep. pic.twitter.com/fM8r4br4RG
— Hillel Neuer (@HillelNeuer) July 7, 2017
After the decision was made, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon slammed the decision.
“This attempt to sever the ties between Israel and Hebron is shameful and offensive, and eliminates UNESCO’s last remaining shred of credibility. To disassociate Israel from the burial grounds of the patriarchs and matriarchs of our nation is an ugly display of discrimination, and an act of aggression against the Jewish people.”
The Palestinians see this action as victory over Israel and America and were not shy in gloating.
“This vote is a success for a diplomatic battle fought by Palestine on all fronts, in the face of the Israeli and American pressure on the member states … and a failure and a tremendous defeat Israel,” Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said in a statement.
“Despite the aggressive Israeli campaign, spreading lies, distorting and falsifying facts about the Palestinian right, the world recognized our right to register Hebron and the Ibrahimi Mosque under Palestinian sovereignty and on the World Heritage List”
“Israel’s occupation of our state does not give it sovereignty over any patch of our land in any way,” Maliki added.
The membership of this year’s Heritage committee are as follows: Angola, Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso, Croatia, Cuba, Finland, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, South Korea, Tunisia, Turkey, Tanzania, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.
It is quite easy to guess which countries would have voted in favour of the resolution, as five have no diplomatic ties with Israel others are aligned with the Palestinians. In fact, even if all the countries who see Israel positively voted against the resolution, it still would have passed as the committee currently has so many anti-Israel nations.