From the Daily Alert:
UNESCO Director General Objects to Arab Claims on Western Wall in Jerusalem - Somini Sengupta
Senior UN officials have objected to a proposal by some Arab states to have UNESCO classify the Western Wall, the holiest site in Judaism, as part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City. UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova expressed her objection to the resolution on Tuesday in a stern statement, saying it "could be seen to alter the status of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls." The Western Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage site adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. (New York Times)See also U.S. "Strongly Opposes" UNESCO Proposal to Reclassify Western Wall - Michael Wilner
"The United States strongly opposes this resolution and any such use of international fora such as UNESCO to inflame tension in the region and alter the status quo at the Holy Sites," Edgar Vasquez, a State Department spokesperson, told the Jerusalem Post. "One-sided anti-Israel resolutions have been a recurring challenge at UNESCO since 2009, and in all such circumstances the United States has blocked consensus on such resolutions by calling for a vote and voting against the texts." (Jerusalem Post)See also Palestinians Drop Bid to Name Western Wall Part of Al-Aqsa - Raoul Wootliff
The Palestinians have withdrawn their demand that UNESCO declare the Western Wall an "integral part" of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Jerusalem's Temple Mount, Israeli officials said Wednesday. The resolution still contains a request to recognize Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron as Muslim sites. (Times of Israel)
See also Jewish Groups Blast Arab Proposal to Label Western Wall a Muslim Holy Site - Rebecca Shimoni Stoil
Jewish organizations came out in force against the Palestinian initiativeon Monday. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations noted that appropriation of the Western Wall as a plaza named after the Prophet Muhammad's horse flies in the face of histo rical fact. "In the millennia before the re-creation of the State of I! srael in 1948, Arab leaders largely ignored Jerusalem, laid no claim to the Western Wall or Rachel's Tomb....No UNESCO or UN resolution or action can undo more than 2,000 years of history."
"President Abbas' goal is to deny Israelis and the Jewish people their connection to the land. He seeks to cut off their past in order to cut off their future. It would be better if President Abbas would devote the same energy to reigning in the violence being perpetrated by Palestinians and to engage Prime Minister Netanyahu in meaningful talks. He well knows that his actions at UNESCO can only undermine any prospect of peace and gains his people nothing." (Times of Israel)
See also Palestinians Attempt to Declare the Western Wall a Muslim Holy Site (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs)