Israel: UNESCO Jerusalem motion is sad, unnecessary and pathetic
The Israeli ministry of foreign affairs has slammed the UNESCO decision to label Israel as an “occupying power in Jerusalem.”
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The Israeli foreign ministry labelled the UNESCO decision as “sad, unnecessary and pathetic” [AFP]
The Israeli ministry of foreign affairs has slammed the UNESCO decision to label Israel as an “occupying power in Jerusalem”, describing it as a “sad, unnecessary and pathetic” decision.
“This is another absurd and irrelevant UNESCO decision, which serves only the enemies of history and truth,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people, and no UNESCO resolution will change this reality. The decision is sad, unnecessary and pathetic. It should be noted that the resolution did not even achieve a majority of the votes”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, Hanan Ashrawi, a senior member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), accused US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, of leading a "one-woman crusade ... against Palestine and the Palestinian people individually and collectively."
"Through an obsessive and targeted campaign of intimidation and threats, Miss Haley's crusade does not miss an opportunity to put pressure on anyone that seeks to challenge Israeli impunity," Ashrawi said.
Ashrawi had also accused the Haley of echoing the inflammatory rhetoric of Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
In May, UNESCO passed a resolution at the UN organisation's Paris headquarters which criticised actions taken by "Israel, the occupying power... to alter the character and status of the holy city of Jerusalem."
It particularly criticised Israel's annexation of Jerusalem following its occupation of the city's east in 1967, a move never recognised by the international community.
It said such moves were "null and void and must be rescinded forthwith".
The resolution, which passed by 22 votes to 10, with 23 abstentions, was welcomed by the Palestinians.
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