UNESCO is at it again, and this time they’re targeting one of the most ancient and historically significant cities in the world: Jericho. The World Heritage Committee is set to vote on whether to list ancient Jericho as a Palestinian World Heritage site. This is not just a distortion of history. It’s an outright theft of Jewish heritage.
Let’s get one thing straight: Jericho is not in “Palestine.” There is no such state. The land is disputed, and many Israelis, including myself, see it as an integral part of Israel. By attempting to attribute Jericho to a “State of Palestine,” UNESCO is not just overstepping its mandate; it’s taking a blatant side in a geopolitical conflict. This is not education, science, or culture; this is political warfare.
UNESCO engages in political warfare
UNESCO has a track record of anti-Israel decisions. Remember when they denied the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount and Hebron?
Those weren’t just slaps in the face to Israel; they were affronts to Jews and Christians worldwide.
Now, they’re about to add another insult by undermining the biblical significance of Jericho. The Palestinian Authority’s application does mention the city’s biblical importance but then has the audacity to claim it’s archaeologically false. This is a direct insult to every Jew and Christian who respects the Bible.
And let’s not forget the PA’s ongoing efforts to erase Jewish history. They’ve destroyed archaeological evidence on the Temple Mount and vandalized Jewish sites in Judea and Samaria. Instead of being held accountable, they’re being rewarded by UNESCO. This is not just wrong; it’s obscene.
UNESCO’s actions are not just damaging to Israel; they’re damaging to UNESCO itself. The organization was founded to promote peace and cultural understanding. By taking a side in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they’re undermining their own mission. They’re not preserving world heritage; they’re politicizing it.
This isn’t just about one city or one heritage listing. This is about the integrity of an international organization that is supposed to be impartial. If they can unilaterally decide the status of Jericho, what’s next? Will they start rewriting the history of other disputed territories too?
It’s time for UNESCO to get out of the business of politics and back into the business of culture, science, and education. They need to drop this outrageous proposal and focus on what they were actually created to do. If they don’t, they’re not just failing Israel; they’re failing the world.
In a time when the Abraham Accords have shown that peace and mutual recognition are possible, UNESCO’s actions are a step backward. They’re not just undermining Israel’s sovereignty; they’re undermining the very possibility of peace and mutual respect.
So, UNESCO, it’s your move. Will you continue down this path of historical distortion and political bias, or will you make a stand for truth and impartiality? Your credibility is on the line, but more importantly, so is the heritage of millions of Jews and Christians worldwide. Choose wisely.
The writer is an MK for the Likud party.