In 2015, the Palestinian Authority initiated a UNESCO campaign to reclassify Haram Al-Sharif. On Friday, the PA reaped the harvest of its efforts after Israel froze cooperation with UNESCO following a draft decision that diminishes Judaism›s ties to the religion›s holiest site. The Al-Aqsa Mosque hilltop complex in Jerusalem is known to Jews as Temple Mount and Haram Al-Sharif to Muslims. The resolution asserts that while Jerusalem is holy to three monotheistic religions - Judaism, Islam and Christianity - it includes a special section pertaining to Haram Al-Sharif that says the site is sacred only to Muslims without mentioning it as sacred to Jews. The UNESCO resolution does not refer to the Al-Aqsa Mosque by either the Hebrew term for the site or its English translation, but only by its Muslim name. The Hebrew terms will only appear in quotation marks in UN references. This redesignation is a victory for Palestine against Israel. Jerusalem's holy site is declared Muslim, not Jewish, in a UN resolution. The resolution was adopted by a 24-6 vote, with 26 abstentions. It drew an expectedly harsh rebuke from Israel and the US and was also condemned by Jewish organizations around the world. Even UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova distanced herself from the resolution even though she has no official control over resolutions, which are sponsored and voted on by member states. And the member states have had their say. Tel Aviv accused UNESCO of ignoring thousands of years of Jewish ties to Jerusalem. History, though, says otherwise. Al-Haram Al-Sharif was controlled by Muslims after it was recaptured from Crusaders in 1187. It came under Israeli occupation following the Six-Day War in 1967. Jordan has had custodian rights over the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound since 1967. Since then, the site has belonged to Muslims of all nationalities the world over. The stated aim of the text was the safeguarding of the cultural heritage of Palestine. It repeatedly denounced Israeli actions, including the use of force by police and soldiers, imposition of restrictions on Muslim worshippers and archaeological work. It also referred to Israel as an "occupying power". It was the dispute over Jerusalem›s holiest site that ignited a wave of violence this time last year. Since then, about 220 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Israeli forces have used excessive force to subdue attackers. The UNESCO resolution coincided with international efforts to calm violence in the region after increasingly frequent Jewish visits to the compound. Under Israeli law, Jews are not allowed to pray at the site to avoid potential violence, but many Jewish activists still rally at the site. Palestinian protesters have fought back, their source of fury rooted in nearly 70 years of military rule and fading hopes for independence. The draft refers to "Occupied Palestine" and the need to "safeguard the Palestinian cultural heritage and the distinctive character of east Jerusalem," referencing the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Palestinians have demanded that an international delegation of experts be sent to the holy sites to examine the destruction of historical and archaeological heritage by Israel, carried out in a variety of manners, including the building of Jerusalem's light rail and archaeological excavations. The Palestinians have been seeking to appoint a UNESCO permanent observer in Jerusalem after a series of condemnations of Israeli activities such as the demolition of a school. These Palestinian demands have not yet been met but the UNESCO resolution means their voice is being heard on the world's biggest political stage.
