Amira Al-Hooti

UNESCO has passed ten resolutions in favour of the Palestinian refugees in the occupied territories. Israel opposed the resolutions and said it would disaffiliate from UNESCO temporarily.

According to the United Nations official document (agenda item 49), UNESCO stated that they were aware that Palestinian refugees have “suffered from the loss of their homes, lands and means of livelihood”, and realise the importance of ensuring “justice” and “lasting peace in the region”.

The Palestinian Mission in London told The Muslim News that UNESCO’s resolutions “embolden the national and cultural rights of the Palestinians. The cultural and religious sites which form Palestinian identity have been subject to an incessant onslaught by Israeli discriminatory policies and by the brutal mechanisms of occupation. This has nowhere been more pronounced than in relation to Al Aqsa and the Holy Sanctuary.”

The Palestinian Mission in London expressed doubt that the resolutions would be implemented. “Whether these resolutions will be implemented remains to be seen but we do not have a great deal of hope. As with previous resolutions which have espoused Palestinian political, cultural and religious rights, the US has used its power of veto to undermine UN attempts to protect and empower the Palestinians many times in the past.”

In the six days war of 1967 250,000 Palestinians were displaced and became refugees. One of the resolutions aims to support “persons displaced as a result of June 1967 and subsequent hostilities” with 156 member states voting in favour. They gave their approval of the continuation for humanitarian assistance “as far as practicable, on an emergency basis, and as a temporary measure”.

Muslims have been restricted access to the third holiest mosque for Muslims, Al-Aqsa, under Israeli occupation.

According to the UNESCO resolution, the UN “disapproves of the Israeli restriction of access to Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif during the 2015 Eid Al-Adha… and calls on Israel, the occupying power, to stop all violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque”.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a Palestinian Spokesman, said the resolutions shows that the message is clear in that Israel “must end the occupation” of East Jerusalem.