The Islamic and Christian authorities in Occupied Jerusalem have applauded the UNESCO’s resolution that described Jerusalem as “occupied” and declares Israel’s sovereignty over the holy city “null and void”.
This came in a joint statement issued on Tuesday by Sheikh Abdul-Adeem Salhab head of the Jerusalem Awqaf Council Sheikh Mohamed al-Khatib director general of the Jerusalem Awqaf and Aqsa Mosque Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Hussein Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine Sheikh Ikrema Sabri head of the Higher Islamic Commission and Hanna Issa head of the Islamic-Christian Commission for Patronizing Jerusalem and Holy Sites.
“As we are closely following up the developments regarding the Jerusalem resolution at the UNESCO we hail the UNESCO’s executive board for passing a resolution entitled ‘Occupied Palestine’ which reaffirms the original Arab and Islamic identity of Jerusalem and the holy sites and confirms the invalidity of all violations and procedures pursued by the occupation since 1967” they stated.
“The most important point is that it reiterates what came in all the previous UNESCO resolutions that the Aqsa Mosque is the entire al-Haram al-Qudsi esh-Sharif and a place of worship for the Muslim nation alone and that Bab al-Maghariba ramp and al-Buraq plaza are purely Islamic mortmain sites and an integral part of the holy Aqsa Mosque” they added.
On Tuesday May 3 2017 UNESCO passed a resolution that describes Israel as an “occupying power” and Jerusalem as an occupied city and sharply criticizes its actions in Occupied Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
“The executive board decision now goes to the plenary which will consider the issue on Friday” UNESCO spokesman Roni Amelan said.
The resolution was submitted by Algeria Egypt Lebanon Morocco Oman Qatar and Sudan and was passed with 22 countries in favor 10 voting against and 23 abstaining.
The resolution criticized Israel’s refusal to cease “persistent excavations tunneling works and projects in East Jerusalem” and condemned their continued “military operations in and around the besieged Gaza Strip.”
