A United Nations agency has prompted an angry response after a statement over one of the world's most controversial sites.
UNESCO – the organization which deals with culture and heritage – has issued a resolution which emphasizes the Muslim character of the site known as Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif in Jerusalem.
Known by Muslims as the Haram Al Sherif (Noble Sanctuary), in the Old City of Jerusalem, the site is where the Jewish Temple stood. It is now home to the Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque.
While Jews pray at the Western Wall of the Temple, the area on top of the mount is used for Muslim worship, as well as for pilgrims and visitors.
The statement from UNESCO comes in response to a number of incidents in which Palestinians have been denied access to the site by Israeli security forces.
UNESCO acknowledged that the Old City is holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians. Yet its characterization of the Temple Mount/Haram Al Sherif has caused controversy. Ha'aretz reports that, "it includes a special section dealing with the Temple Mount, which says the site is sacred only to Muslims and fails to mention that it is sacred to the Jews as well. In fact, it mentions neither the Hebrew term for the site – Har HaBayit – nor its English equivalent, the Temple Mount. The site is referred to only by its Muslim names – Al-Aqsa Mosque and Haram al-Sharif."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "With this absurd decision, UNESCO lost the little legitimization it had left. But I believe that the historical truth is stronger and the truth will win."
The Palestinian Authority said that Israel was attempting to shift the, "focus from Israel's illegal and colonial actions in occupied East Jerusalem to issues irrelevant to the content and objectives of the resolutions, which aims to put an end to Israel's dangerous and illegal actions against holy sites in Jerusalem and Palestinian rights, including the right to worship."
