Ministry of Foreign Affairs: UNESCO Stands Up for Palestinian Cultural Rights and Heritage

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: UNESCO Stands Up for Palestinian Cultural Rights and Heritage

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the State of Palestine welcomed the adoption, by consensus, of four resolutions related to Palestine by the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The resolutions address the situation in the City of Jerusalem, the consequences of the current situation in the Gaza Strip in matters related to UNESCO, the continuity of UNRWA's educational activities, and educational and cultural institutions in the occupied Arab territory.

The Ministry stressed the importance of these resolutions at this critical time, as Israel continues to commit grave violations against all aspects of UNESCO's work in the fields of education, culture, and tangible and intangible heritage. Israel continues to deliberately target heritage sites, schools, educational and media institutions, and journalists in the Gaza Strip, committing acts of cultural and physical genocide, violations that also extend to the West Bank, including Jerusalem.

The Ministry condemned Israel's repeated attacks on archaeological and religious sites, particularly in Jerusalem, aimed at altering the city's legal and historical status. It highlighted the importance of developing a special action plan to safeguard cultural heritage in Jerusalem, including the protection of Al-Haram Al-Sharif (Al-Aqsa Mosque), a holy site reserved exclusively for Muslim worship, and the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron.

The Ministry emphasized the importance of the UNESCO General Conference's focus on urgent Palestinian issues in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and welcomed the role of partner institutions such as UNRWA in supporting education and heritage protection.

The Ministry expressed deep appreciation to the friendly and brotherly countries that supported these resolutions, reaffirming their solidarity with Palestine's cultural and historical rights and contributing to international accountability for Israel's violations.

It also called on all UNESCO member states and the international community to unite efforts to revive life in the devastated Gaza Strip and support recovery and reconstruction across Palestine, including Jerusalem.