UN Confirms Denial of Jewish Connection to Temple Mount - Israel Today

UN Confirms Denial of Jewish Connection to Temple Mount

Wednesday, October 26, 2016 |  Israel Today Staff

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Jerusalem

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday officially passed its resolution denying any Jewish connection to Jerusalem and its holy sites, including the Temple Mount.

The document demands that Israel cease what it calls the “intentional destruction” of Jerusalem’s holy sites, all of which the UN refers to solely by their Islamic names.

The acts of “destruction” referred to by the resolution are in fact archeological excavations being carried out adjacent to the Temple Mount, excavations that have uncovered a wealth of evidence confirming the long historical connection between the site and the Jewish people.

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon slammed the decision, stating:

“UNESCO embarrassed itself by marching to the tune of the Palestinian pipers. All attempts to deny our heritage, distort history and disconnect the Jewish people from our capital and our homeland are doomed to fail.”

Archeologist Dr. Gabriel Barkay, who heads one of the aforementioned excavations, said the resolution was an “insult” to anyone with any intelligence.

“Jesus and the Temple Mount are referred to in the New Testament over 20 times,” Dr. Barkay noted at a Jerusalem press conference. “Jesus went there prior to his crucifixion and overturned a table from money-changers and prophesied about the Temple Mount. So he who tries to jeopardize the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount actually undermines Christianity, because it is based on Jesus and his connection to the Temple Mount.”

On Tuesday, a group of US senators and congressmen strongly urged other UNESCO member states to reject the resolution, noting that “attempting to erase the Jewish and Christian connection to this sacred city will further damage the prospects of peace.”

But the Palestinian delegation to the world body threatened in a letter to the other UNESCO delegates that failure to vote in favor of the resolution would result in the Arabs being “obliged to consider other options.”

The measure ultimately passed by a margin of 10 to 2, with 8 abstentions

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