A UN body has seconded the concerns of Jordan and other Arab states regarding Israeli excavations in and around holy sites in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
On Wednesday, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) executive board adopted five decisions submitted by Arab countries, two of them by Jordan, concerning UNESCO’s work in the occupied territories, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reorted Thursday.
The first of the two decisions proposed by Jordan concerned Bab Al Magharbeh, one of the gates to the Old City of Jerusalem, where Israeli occupation authorities in April denied entry to a group of conservation experts from the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.
The decision reaffirmed that Israel must cooperate in ensuring that Jordanian and waqf experts have access to the site.
The second decision reaffirmed the religious significance of the Old City of Jerusalem for Muslims, Christians and Jews alike. The decision expressed “deep concern over the ongoing Israeli excavations and archaeological works on Al Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, which contradicts UNESCO’s decisions and conventions and United Nations and Security Council resolutions”, the UNESCO website said.
The decision invited UNESCO’s director general to appoint experts to be stationed in East Jerusalem to report on the architectural, educational, cultural and demographical situation there.
It also asked the Israelis to facilitate the work of the experts in conformity with Israel’s adherence to UNESCO’s decisions and conventions, according to UNESCO.
A third decision, submitted by the Arab group, concerned Al Haram Al Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and the Bilal Ben Rabah Mosque in Bethlehem, reaffirming that the two sites are an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories and that any unilateral action by the Israeli authorities there is to be considered a violation of international law, the UNESCO conventions and relevant United Nations and Security Council resolutions.
The other two decisions addressed the situation of educational and cultural institutions in the occupied territories and the reconstruction and development of Gaza.
UNESCO’s executive board comprises 58 members states. It meets twice a year to review the implementation of the programme adopted by the General Conference. The 185th session of the board opened on October 5 and concluded on October 21.
Source: The Jordan Times [October 22, 2010]
