By JPOST.COM STAFFThe Temple Mount in Jerusalem (photo credit: JACK BROOK)
DRAFT DECISIONSubmitted by: Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and SudanII.A JerusalemThe Executive Board,1. Having examined document 200 EX/25,2. Recalling the provisions of the four Geneva Conventions (1949) and their additional ProtocolsAdvertisement(1977), the 1907 Hague Regulations on Land Warfare, the Hague Convention for the Protection ofCultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954) and its additional Protocols, the Conventionon the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership ofCultural Property (1970) and the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and NaturalHeritage (1972), the inscription of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls at the request of Jordanon the World Heritage List (1981) and on the List of World Heritage in Danger (1982), and therecommendations, resolutions and decisions of UNESCO on the protection of cultural heritage, aswell as resolutions and decisions of UNESCO relating to Jerusalem, also recalling previousUNESCO decisions related to the reconstruction and development of Gaza as well as UNESCOdecisions on the two Palestinian sites in Al-Khalil/ Hebron and in Bethlehem,3. Affirming the importance of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls for the three monotheisticreligions, also affirming that nothing in the current decision, which aims, inter alia, at thesafeguarding of the cultural heritage of Palestine and the distinctive character of East Jerusalem,shall in any way affect the relevant Security Council and United Nations resolutions and decisionson the legal status of Palestine and Jerusalem,4. Deeply regrets the Israeli refusal to implement UNESCO previous Decisions concerning Jerusalemparticularly 185 EX/Decision 14 and notes that its request to the Director-General to appoint, assoon as possible, a permanent representative to be stationed in East Jerusalem to report on aregular basis about all the aspects covering the fields of competence of UNESCO in EastJerusalem, has not been fulfilled and reiterates its request to the Director-General to appoint theabove-mentioned representative;5. Deeply deplores the failure of Israel, the Occupying Power, to cease the persistent excavationsand works in East Jerusalem particularly in and around the Old City, and reiterates its request toIsrael, the Occupying Power, to prohibit all such works in conformity with its obligations under theprovisions of the relevant UNESCO conventions, resolutions and decisions;6. Thanks the Director-General for her efforts to implement previous UNESCO decisions onJerusalem and asks her to maintain and reinvigorate such efforts;200 EX/PX/DR.. – page 2I.B Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and its surroundingsI.B.1 Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif7. Calls on Israel, the Occupying Power, to allow for the restoration of the historic Status Quo, thatprevailed until September 2000, under which the Jordanian Awqaf Department (ReligiousFoundation) exercised exclusive authority on Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, and its mandateextended to all affairs relating to the unimpeded administration of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, including maintenance, restoration and regulating access;8. Strongly condemns the Israeli escalating aggressions and illegal measures against the AwqafDepartment and its personnel, and against the freedom of worship and Muslims’ access to theirHoly Site Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al Sharif, and requests Israel, the Occupying Power, torespect the historic Status Quo and to immediately stop these measures;9. Firmly deplores the continuous storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif by the Israeli right-wing extremists and uniformed forces, and urges Israel, the Occupying Power, to take necessarymeasures to prevent provocative abuses that violate the sanctity and integrity of Al-AqsaMosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif;10. Deeply decries the continuous Israeli aggressions against civilians including Islamic religiousfigures and priests, further decries the forceful entering into the different Mosques and historicbuildings inside Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif by different Israeli employees including theso-called "Israeli Antiquities" officials, and arrests and injuries among Muslim worshippers andJordanian Awqaf guards in Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif by the Israeli forces and alsourges Israel, the Occupying Power, to end these aggressions and abuses which inflame thetension on the ground and between faiths;11. Disapproves the Israeli restriction of access to Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif during the EidAl-Adha 2015 and the subsequent violence and calls on Israel, the Occupying Power, to stop allviolations against Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif;12. Deeply regrets the refusal of Israel to grant visas to UNESCO experts in charge of the UNESCOproject at the Centre of Islamic Manuscripts in Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif and requestsIsrael to deliver visas to UNESCO experts without restrictions;13. Also regrets the damage caused by the Israeli Forces, especially since 23 August 2015, to thehistoric gates and windows of the Qibli Mosque inside Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, andreaffirms, in this regard, the obligation of Israel to respect the integrity, authenticity and culturalheritage of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, as reflected in the historic Status Quo, as aMuslim Holy Site of worship and as an integral part of a World Cultural Heritage Site;14. Expresses its deep concern over the Israeli closure and ban of the renovation of the Al-RahmaGate building, one of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif gates, and urges Israel, the OccupyingPower, to reopen the Gate, and stop obstruction of the necessary restoration works, in order torepair the damage caused by the weather conditions, especially the water leakage into the roomsof the building;15. Calls on Israel, the Occupying Power, to stop the obstruction of the immediate execution of all the18 Hashemite restoration projects in and around Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif;16. Further deplores the Israeli decision to approve a plan to build a two-line cable car system in EastJerusalem and the so called “Liba House” project in the Old City of Jerusalem as well as theconstruction of the so called "Kedem Center", a visitor centre near the southern wall of theMosque, the construction of the Strauss Building and the project of the elevator in Al-Buraq Plaza"Western Wall Plaza" and urges Israel, the Occupying Power, to renounce the above-mentioned200 EX/PX/DR.. – page 3projects and to stop the construction works in conformity with its obligations under the relevantUNESCO conventions, resolutions and decisions;I.B.2 The Ascent to the Mughrabi Gate in Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif17. Reaffirms that the Mughrabi Ascent is an integral and inseparable part of Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif;18. Takes note of the 16th Reinforced Monitoring Report and all previous reports, together with theiraddenda prepared by the World Heritage Centre as well as the State of Conservation reportssubmitted to the World Heritage Centre by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the State ofPalestine;19. Deprecates the persisting Israeli unilateral measures and decisions regarding the Ascent to theMughrabi Gate, including the latest works conducted at the Mughrabi Gate entrance in February2015, the installment of an umbrella at that entrance as well as the enforced creation of a newJewish prayer platform south of the Mughrabi Ascent in Al-Buraq Plaza "Western Wall Plaza", andthe removal of the Islamic remains at the site and reaffirms that no Israeli unilateral measures,shall be taken in conformity with its status and obligations under the Hague Convention for theProtection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of 1954;20. Further expresses its deep concern regarding the illegal demolitions of Ummayyad, Ottoman andMamluk remains as well as other intrusive works and excavations in and around the MughrabiGate Pathway, and also requests Israel, the Occupying Power, to halt such demolitions,excavations and works and to abide by its obligations under the provisions of the UNESCOconventions mentioned in para 2;21. Reiterates its thanks to Jordan for its cooperation and further urges Israel, the Occupying Power, tocooperate with Jordanian Awqaf Department, in conformity with its obligations under the provisionsof the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict of1954, to facilitate access of Jordanian Awqaf experts with their tools and materials to the site inorder to enable the execution of the Jordanian design of the Ascent to the Mughrabi Gate inaccordance with UNESCO and World Heritage Committee decisions particularly 37 COM/7A.26,38 COM/7A.4 and 39 COM/7A.27;22. Thanks the Director-General for her attention to the sensitive situation of this matter and asks herto take the necessary measures in order to enable the execution of the Jordanian design of theAscent to the Mughrabi Gate;I.C The UNESCO Reactive Monitoring Mission to the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls andThe UNESCO experts meeting on the Mughrabi Ascent23. Stresses yet again the urgent need of the implementation of the UNESCO Reactive MonitoringMission to the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls;24. Recalls, in this regard, 196 EX/Decision 26 that requests, in case of non-implementation, toconsider, in conformity with the International Law, other means to ensure its implementation;25. Notes with deep concern that Israel, the Occupying Power, did not comply with any of the 121decisions of the Executive Board as well as the six2resolutions of the World Heritage Committee1The 11 Executive Board decisions: 185 EX/Decision 14, 186 EX/Decision 11, 187 EX/Decision 11, 189 EX/Decision 8,190 EX/Decision 13, 191 EX/Decision 9, 192 EX/Decision 11, 194 EX/Decision 11, 195 EX/Decision9,196EX/Decision26, 197 EX/Decision 32, 199EX/Dec.19.1.2The six World Heritage Committee resolutions: 34 COM/7A.20, 35 COM/7A.22, 36 COM/7A.23, 37 COM/7A.26,38COM/7A.4, 39 COM/7A.27.200 EX/PX/DR.. – page 4that request the implementation of the Reactive Monitoring Mission to the Old City of Jerusalemand its Walls;26. Regrets the continued Israeli refusal to act in accordance with UNESCO and World HeritageCommittee decisions that request a UNESCO experts meeting on the Mughrabi Ascent and thedispatch of a Reactive Monitoring Mission to the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls;27. Invites the Director-General to take necessary measures to implement the above-mentionedMission in accordance with World Heritage Committee decision 34 COM/7A.20, prior to the nextsession of the Executive Board, also invites all concerned parties to facilitate the implementation ofthat mission and experts meeting;28. Requests that the report and recommendations of the mission as well as the report of the technicalmeeting on the Mughrabi Ascent, be presented to the concerned parties;29. Thanks the Director-General for her continuous efforts to implement the above-mentionedUNESCO joint Reactive Monitoring Mission and all related UNESCO decisions and resolutions;IIRECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF GAZA31. Deplores the military confrontations in and around the Gaza Strip and the civilian casualtiescaused, including the killing and injury of thousands of Palestinian civilians, including children, aswell as the continuous negative impact in the fields of competence of UNESCO, the attacks onschools and other educational and cultural facilities, including breaches of inviolability of UNRWAschools;32. Strongly deplores the continuous Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, which harmfully affects thefree and sustained movement of personnel and humanitarian relief items as well as theintolerable number of casualties among Palestinian children, the attacks on schools and othereducational and cultural facilities and the denial of access to education, and requests Israel, theoccupying Power, to immediately ease this blockade;33. Reiterates its request to the Director-General to upgrade, as soon as possible, the UNESCOAntenna in Gaza in order to ensure the prompt reconstruction of schools, universities, culturalheritage sites, cultural institutions, media centres and places of worship that have been destroyedor damaged by the consecutive wars on Gaza;34. Thanks the Director-General for the information meeting held on March 2015 on the currentsituation in Gaza in the fields of competence of UNESCO and on the outcome of the projectsconducted by UNESCO in the Gaza Strip-Palestine, and invites her to organize, as soon aspossible, another information meeting on the same matter;35. Also thanks the Director-General for initiatives that have already been implemented in Gaza inthe fields of education, culture and youth and for the safety of media professionals, and callsupon her to continue her active involvement in the reconstruction of Gaza’s damaged educationaland cultural components;IIITHE TWO PALESTINIAN SITES OF AL-ḤARAM AL IBRĀHĪMĪ/TOMB OF THE PATRIARCHS INAL-KHALĪL/HEBRON AND THE BILĀL IBN RABĀḤ MOSQUE/RACHEL’S TOMB IN BETHLEHEM36. Reaffirms that the two concerned sites located in Al-Khalīl/Hebron and in Bethlehem are anintegral part of Palestine;37. Shares the conviction affirmed by the international community that the two sites are of religioussignificance for Judaism, Christianity and Islam;200 EX/PX/DR.. – page 538. Strongly disapproves the ongoing Israeli illegal excavations, works, construction of private roadsfor settlers and a separation wall inside the Old City of Al-Khalīl/Hebron, that harmfully affect theintegrity of the site, and the subsequent denial of freedom of movement and freedom of access toplaces of worship, and asks Israel, the occupying Power, to end these violations in compliancewith provisions of relevant UNESCO conventions, resolutions and decisions;39. Deeply deplores the new cycle of violence, going on since October 2015, in the context of theconstant aggressions by the Israeli settlers and other extremist groups against Palestinianresidents including schoolchildren, also asks the Israeli authorities to prevent such aggressions;40. Regrets the visual impact of the separation wall on the site of Bilāl Ibn Rabāḥ Mosque/Rachel’sTomb in Bethlehem as well as the strict ban of access of Palestinian Christian and Muslimworshippers to the site and demands the Israeli authorities to restore the original character of thelandscape around the site and to lift the ban of access to it;41. Deeply regrets the Israeli refusal to comply with 185 EX/Decision 15 which requested the Israeliauthorities to remove the two Palestinian sites from its national heritage list and calls on theIsraeli authorities to act in accordance with that decision;IV42. Decides to include these matters under the item entitled “Occupied Palestine” in the agenda ofthe Executive Board at its 201st session, and invites the Director-General to submit to it aprogress report on these matters.
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