On Wednesday, during its 221st session held in Paris, UNESCO’s Executive Board unanimously adopted two resolutions concerning Palestine: “Occupied Palestine” and “Cultural and Educational Institutions.”
These resolutions are pivotal in safeguarding the rights of the Palestinian people, especially amidst ongoing violations and crimes committed by Israel, the illegal occupying power, particularly in Gaza, in defiance of international law and humanitarian law.
The resolutions call for halting excavation projects and construction activities in occupied Jerusalem, including its Old City and surrounding areas, as well as at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank’s southern part.
They also demand an end to all Israeli colonialist activities, including the construction of the Annexation Wall, the opening of segregated Israeli settler-exclusive roads, restrictions on freedom of movement, and denial of access to places of worship.
These measures are aimed at countering Israel’s attempts to alter the character, identity, and social fabric of the occupied Palestinian territories.
The resolutions reaffirm that World Heritage Sites, including occupied Jerusalem and its walls, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Old City of Hebron—home to the Ibrahimi Mosque— are an integral part of Palestine’s cultural heritage. These sites require special protection from destruction, alterations, or military deployment.
The Israeli government criticized the UNESCO resolutions, describing them as “biased and politically motivated.”
Israeli officials alleged that the resolutions “disregard the historical and cultural connections of the Jewish people to Jerusalem and other heritage sites in the region.”
They also accused UNESCO of “perpetuating a one-sided narrative that undermines Israel’s sovereignty and its efforts to preserve cultural and historical landmarks.”
Israeli representatives expressed particular concern over the language used in the resolutions, which they claimed, “delegitimizes Israel’s presence in Jerusalem and Hebron.” (both are illegally occupied by Israel in defiance of International Law, UN resolution.)
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates welcomed the adoption of these resolutions in an official statement, emphasizing the necessity of implementing the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinions, as well as relevant UN resolutions.
The Ministry condemned the international community’s double standards and failure to hold Israel accountable for its international crimes, including acts of genocide.
It also highlighted the significance of these resolutions in countering attempts to distort and deliberately destroy Palestinian historical, cultural, and heritage sites.
Such violations include efforts to change the historical and legal identity of occupied Jerusalem and its surroundings, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.
It also condemned projects like excavations for underground tunnels in the Old City of Jerusalem, the construction of a cable car project, and roofing plans at the Ibrahimi Mosque, which threaten the site’s universal value, integrity, and environmental balance.
The Ministry also pointed to ongoing violations in Gaza, including its systematic destruction, the expansion of illegal settlements, and encroachments on the World Heritage-listed site “Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir.”
The Ministry praised the proactive role of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in advocating for these resolutions, as well as the support of allied and friendly countries that ensured their unanimous adoption.
It urged UNESCO and the international community to take clear, practical steps to compel Israel, the occupying power, to cease its violations, and emphasized that failure to enforce UNESCO decisions and international law enables Israel to continue its crimes in Gaza and perpetuates the conditions for further violations, killings, and acts of genocide, directly targeting civilians, journalists, students, schools, and cultural and sacred sites.
In addition, the Ministry called on UNESCO to dispatch a reactive monitoring mission and appoint a representative of the Director-General to Jerusalem to document Israel’s deliberate acts of vandalism and provide detailed reports to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which has custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, also commended the resolutions. Jordanian officials reiterated their commitment to safeguarding the cultural and religious heritage of the region and emphasized the need for international cooperation to prevent further violations.
Several UNESCO member states, including those from Europe and the Arab world, supported the resolutions, viewing them as essential for upholding international law and protecting endangered heritage sites. They called on Israel to comply with international standards and halt activities that threaten the integrity of these sites.
