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UNESCO and the Cradle of Jewish History

(Jerusalem Post) Editorial - UNESCO, the UN body in charge of preserving historical sites, went too far this time in a particularly blatant attempt to erase Jewish ties to the Land of Israel. The UNESCO board declared the Haram al-Ibrahim/Cave of the Patriarchs and Bilal bin Rabah Mosque/Rachel's Tomb to be "an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territories." As the second intifada was being launched in 2000, Al-Hayat al-Jadida, a Palestinian daily, published an article that blatantly departed from Muslim tradition, which corresponds with Jewish tradition, to claim that Rachel's Tomb was originally a Muslim mosque. Until then, all official PA references to the site had recognized it as Rachel's Tomb. Whether one is for or against Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria, or for or against emphasizing Israel's "Jewishness," it is an undeniable fact that the geographical area referred to as the West Bank and that includes Hebron and Bethlehem was the cradle of Jewish history. No amount of historical revisionism or UNESCO declarations will erase this fact. If not for the Israeli security presence, Rachel's Tomb and the Cave of the Patriarchs would be off limits to Jews today.
2010-11-02 11:15:58
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