Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford is bitterly disappointed that UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) would seek to fan the flames of religious and cultural conflict with the draft resolution passed at the committee stage earlier this week.

The resolution, which will likely be approved by UNESCO's Executive Board next week, refers to the Temple Mount solely by its Arabic name, al-Haram al-Sharif, and refers to the precinct in front of the wall as Al-Buraq Plaza "Western Wall Plaza" (quotes theirs). This is a clear effort to undermine millennia-long Jewish ties to the sacred site and an obvious affront to the Jewish people. This gross attempt at revisionist history will serve only to heighten religious tensions in Israel and the surrounding region.

We urge the United Nations to see this for the anti-Israel attack that it is, to consider the damaging effects the resolution will have on Israel and the entire Middle East, and to condemn it in absolute terms.

We encourage the Jewish community in Greater Hartford and beyond to take immediate action by signing this petition developed by the Simon Wiesenthal Center to UNESCO and the United States Congress, urging Congress not to consider any future funding of UNESCO until the vote is voided.

Shabbat shalom.

Howard

Howard Sovronsky
President and CEO 

 

Photo credit: 2015, Noam Chen, Courtesy of GoIsrael/Jewish Federations of North America