UN chief criticises UNESCO decision on Al-Aqsa

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticised the outcome of a UNESCO vote which said there was no Jewish links to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

In a statement issued by his office on Tuesday, Ban said: “Al Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram al-Sharif, the sacred shrine of Muslims, is also the Har HaBayit – or Temple Mount – whose Western Wall is the holiest place in Judaism.”

He added: “Any perceived undertaking to repudiate the undeniable common reference for these sites does not serve the interests of peace and will only feed violence and radicalism.”

The statement also stated that Ban had called for all side to respect the status quo at the holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Earlier this week, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) adopted a resolution which is highly critical of Israel’s actions in the occupied West bank and Gaza Strip as well as saying that there is no Jewish link to Al-Aqsa Mosque, insisting it is an Islamic holy site.

The bill however said that the holy city of Jerusalem is important to all three monotheistic faiths; Judaism, Christianity and Islam.