«Israel» Recalling UNESCO Ambassador

Local Editor

Following its passing of another controversial resolution seen as anti-"Israeli" by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed "Israeli" Ambassador to UNESCO Carmel Shama-Hacohen to return to the "Israeli" entity for consultation.

The resolution by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee accuses "Israel" of damaging holy sites and freedom of religion, specifically regarding holy sites in al-Quds [Jerusalem]. Controversy once again arose over the fact that the resolution fails to acknowledge the Jewish community's connection to the "Temple Mount" area.

In a speech at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center [IDC] on Wednesday, Netanyahu said of the matter, "The theater of the absurd goes on, and I have decided to call in our ambassador to UNESCO for consultation, and we will decide what to do and what the next steps towards this organization will be."

According to a text provided by Palestinian officials, the resolution adopted by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee in Paris refers to the compound - revered by Jews as "Temple Mount" and by Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif [Noble Sanctuary] - only as a "Muslim holy site of worship", just as a similar motion did on Oct. 13.

The latest vote, like the first, deals with the safeguarding of the city's religious heritage.

Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said in a statement that the aim of the UNESCO resolutions was to protect the religious rights of all three major monotheistic religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam, at al-Quds' [Jerusalem] holy sites.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team