UNESCO board adopts decision on Jerusalem's Old City, walls

AMMAN — UNESCO’s Executive Board, during its 215th session, unanimously adopted a decision on the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sinan Al Majali on Wednesday said that the decision followed Jordan’s diplomatic efforts, in coordination with the Palestine, Arab and Islamic groups at the UN agency, according to a ministry statement.

The decision stresses the Jordanian stance on the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls, including the Islamic and Christian holy sites, Majali said, adding that the decision reiterated considering all Israeli procedures to change the identity and legal status quo as null and void.

The decision also calls on Israel to halt all of its unilateral illegal violations and procedures against Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif and in the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls, the spokesperson added.

He pointed out that this decision stresses the 22 previous decisions of the Executive Board and the 11 decisions of the World Heritage Committee on Jerusalem, which all expressed concern surrounding the failure of Israel, in its capacity as an occupying force, to halt its digging, construction of tunnels and other illegal actions in East Jerusalem, in accordance with international law.

The spokesperson also said that the decision stresses the achievements of previous decisions, notably the adoption of the names “Al Aqsa Mosque” and “Al Haram Al Sharif” as synonyms for the same place. 

The decision also called for speeding up procedures to appoint a permanent representative for the UNESCO directorate general in the Old City of Jerusalem. 

The representative would monitor all procedures under the organisation’s jurisdiction, in addition to sending an interactive monitoring mission from UNESCO to Jerusalem to monitor all of Israel’s violations, which is an occupying force under international law.