Jordan defends Jerusalem Islamic names at UNESCO

AMMAN — The Cabinet on Tuesday reviewed the outcomes of the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Bonn, Germany, between June 28 and July 8, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

During the UNESCO’s session, the committee adopted a draft resolution on Jerusalem proposed by Jordan, the custodian of the holy places in Jerusalem, and Palestine.

UNESCO, under the decision, recognises the use of both Al Aqsa Mosque and and Al Haram Al Sharif as synonyms in all relevant literature. 

In a report submitted to the panel in March this year, both Jordan and Palestine slammed Israel for “attempts to befog the religious historic Muslim exclusive right and identification by forced use of un-Islamic names such as ‘The Temple Mount’ as part of the Judaisation policy enforced by the Israeli occupying power of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem”. 

The draft resolution also considered Bab Al Magharbeh, a main gate of the holy city, as part of Al Aqsa Mosque, and endorsed the term Al Buraq Plaza, which the Israelis call Wailing Wall Plaza. 

Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour stressed the importance of the resolution and called for committing to using these terms when addressing other countries, Petra reported.

The resolution also called on Israel not to halt the work progress in the Hashemite renovation project, and condemned unilateral Israeli procedures in the holy shrine.