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Arab Proposal to U.N. Over Western Wall Stirs New Concern Arab Proposal to U.N. Over Western Wall Stirs New Concern
(about 2 hours later)
Senior United Nations officials have objected to a proposal by some Arab states to classify the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, as part of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City. UNITED NATIONS — Senior United Nations officials have objected to a proposal by some Arab states to classify the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, as part of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City, following angry denunciations by Israel and many Jewish-American groups.
The proposal is contained in a draft resolution to the executive board of Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The agency formally designates cultural treasures around the world.The proposal is contained in a draft resolution to the executive board of Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The agency formally designates cultural treasures around the world.
The proposal to Unesco has emerged at a time when deadly violence between Israelis and Palestinians has been flaring over the holy site, known as the Temple Mount to Jews and Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. The proposal to Unesco has emerged at a time when deadly violence between Israelis and Palestinians has been flaring over the holy site, known as the Temple Mount to Jews and Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. New clashes erupted on Tuesday that left at least four Palestinians fatally shot.
The Unesco director general, Irina Bokova, expressed her objection on Tuesday in a stern statement, saying the proposal “could be seen to alter the status of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls.” The Unesco director general, Irina Bokova, expressed her objection to the resolution on Tuesday in a stern statement, saying it “could be seen to alter the status of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls.”
The Western Wall, as part of the Old City of Jerusalem, is a World Heritage site, and its protection is central to the Unesco mandate. “The protection of cultural heritage should not be taken hostage,” the statement from Ms. Bokova’s office said. The Western Wall, as part of the Old City of Jerusalem, is a Unesco World Heritage site adjacent to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, and its protection is central to the Unesco mandate. “The protection of cultural heritage should not be taken hostage,” the statement from Ms. Bokova’s office said.
Unesco officials would not share the text of the resolution or identify its sponsors. Jewish groups, which have strenuously objected to the proposal, said it was expected to be introduced by six Arab members of Unesco’s executive board: Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.Unesco officials would not share the text of the resolution or identify its sponsors. Jewish groups, which have strenuously objected to the proposal, said it was expected to be introduced by six Arab members of Unesco’s executive board: Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.
Groups including the American Jewish Committee, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the New York Board of Rabbis have called the executive board to reject the proposal, saying it would falsely rewrite history. Groups including the Simon Wiesenthal Center, American Jewish Committee, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the New York Board of Rabbis have called on the executive board to reject the proposal, saying it would falsely rewrite history.
David Harris, the executive director of the American Jewish Committee, called the proposal a “naked assault on historical fact and brazen effort to strip the Jewish people of the age-old link to our most sacred site, the Western Wall.”David Harris, the executive director of the American Jewish Committee, called the proposal a “naked assault on historical fact and brazen effort to strip the Jewish people of the age-old link to our most sacred site, the Western Wall.”
Israel has aggressively lobbied against the measure. “The shameful and deceitful Palestinian attempt to rewrite history will fail the test of reality,” the deputy foreign minister, Tzipi Hotovely, said in a statement late Monday.Israel has aggressively lobbied against the measure. “The shameful and deceitful Palestinian attempt to rewrite history will fail the test of reality,” the deputy foreign minister, Tzipi Hotovely, said in a statement late Monday.
Attempts to bring the measure up for a vote as early as Tuesday appeared to have been delayed. Broader diplomatic efforts designed to cool tempers in the region have so far delivered little.Attempts to bring the measure up for a vote as early as Tuesday appeared to have been delayed. Broader diplomatic efforts designed to cool tempers in the region have so far delivered little.
The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, visited Jerusalem on Tuesday for meetings with officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. He also intended to meet with the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas. The United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, visited Jerusalem on Tuesday for meetings with officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin of Israel, saying “I am here in the hope that we can work together to end the violence, ease the tensions and begin to restore a long-term political horizon of peace.”
There were no signs of conciliation from the Israelis or Palestinians.
While Mr. Netanyahu welcomed Mr. Ban, he blamed President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority for the violence, describing him as a fomenter.
“In recent weeks Israelis have been deliberately run over, shot, stabbed and hacked to death, and in large part this is because President Abbas has joined ISIS and Hamas in claiming that Israel threatens the Al Aqsa Mosque,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “This, Mr. Secretary, is a total lie.”
Mr. Abbas and his associates have responded by describing Palestinians as the victims of Israeli occupation and humiliation, saying that far more Palestinians have been killed and wounded in the violence than Israelis.
“Palestinians, many of them children, are killed, wounded, arrested and harassed and intimidated every day while their property is seized, demolished or bombed,” the Palestinian mission to the United Nations said in a statement distributed while Mr. Ban was meeting with the Israelis.
At least eight Israelis have been killed by assailants using mostly kitchen knives, but also guns. At least 22 suspected Palestinian assailants have been fatally shot, and more than 20 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli security forces.
Mr. Ban planned to meet on Wednesday with President Abbas.
In a video message aimed at Israelis and Palestinians, Mr. Ban urged leaders on both sides to “demonstrate in both words and deeds that the historic status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem will be preserved.”In a video message aimed at Israelis and Palestinians, Mr. Ban urged leaders on both sides to “demonstrate in both words and deeds that the historic status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem will be preserved.”
The Al Aqsa site is administered by a Muslim religious trust under Jordanian custodianship. Israel maintains a ban on non-Muslim prayer at the site. But pressure by nationalist religious Jews for access, including some calls for building a new temple, has aggravated Palestinian fears that the Israelis will change the current arrangement.The Al Aqsa site is administered by a Muslim religious trust under Jordanian custodianship. Israel maintains a ban on non-Muslim prayer at the site. But pressure by nationalist religious Jews for access, including some calls for building a new temple, has aggravated Palestinian fears that the Israelis will change the current arrangement.
Israel has repeatedly called such fears unfounded and inflammatory, and has said it will keep the status quo.Israel has repeatedly called such fears unfounded and inflammatory, and has said it will keep the status quo.
Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin, reiterated the Israeli government’s position in a meeting on Tuesday with Mr. Ban. “The Temple Mount is being held hostage by people who want to bring about a religious war,” Mr. Rivlin said. “We cannot allow this. Israel has no war with Islam.” The Palestinians have sought an international protection force around the contested area, but that proposal has been rejected by Israel and by the United States, its chief ally.
The Palestinians have sought an international protection forcearound the contested area, but that proposal has been rejected by Israel and by the United States, its chief ally.
Seeking ways to defuse the tension, Secretary of State John Kerry was scheduled to meet with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday in Berlin, and with Mr. Abbas in Amman, Jordan, over the weekend.Seeking ways to defuse the tension, Secretary of State John Kerry was scheduled to meet with Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday in Berlin, and with Mr. Abbas in Amman, Jordan, over the weekend.
Unesco was at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in late 2011, when it gave the Palestinians membership. The United States cut off aid to Unesco as a result, and Unesco lost a quarter of its budget.Unesco was at the center of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in late 2011, when it gave the Palestinians membership. The United States cut off aid to Unesco as a result, and Unesco lost a quarter of its budget.
The Security Council is scheduled to hold a session devoted to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis on Thursday. Any immediate council action was seen as unlikely. In the West Bank on Wednesday, four Palestinian assailants were reported fatally shot in three separate stabbing attacks, and an Israeli settler was killed in what appeared to be a road accident.