The United Nations gave preliminary approval for a resolution that calls the Temple Mount by its Muslim name exclusively: Haram al-Sharif reports JPost.
The resolution passed at the UN’s Fourth Committee in New York City in an overwhelming turn-out of 154-8. The vote featured 14 abstentions as well as 17 absences. It was one of eight Anti-Israel resolutions approved last week. An expected 15 more anti-Israel resolutions are anticipating approval as well. The UN General Assembly will commence its final vote on the resolution next month.
Ironically, the resolution reaffirmed “the special significance of the holy sites and the importance of the City of Jerusalem for the three monotheistic religions.”
Although only Israel and the United States were the only ones to vote against all eight resolutions, Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Nauru joined them in voting against the Jerusalem texts.
All of the twenty-eight EU member states backed the resolution
Some of the resolutions related to both past and future Israeli ambitions to annex territory in Judea and Samaria reading: “The occupation of a territory is to be a temporary, de facto situation, whereby the occupying power can neither claim possession nor exert its sovereignty over the territory it occupies,” a resolution stated. That same resolution recalled “the principle of the inadmissibility of the acquisition of land by force and therefore the illegality of the annexation of any part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” It also stated “grave concern at recent statements calling for the annexation by Israel of areas in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Acting US Deputy Representative to the United Nations Cherith Norman Chalet responded to the resolution saying: “We are disappointed that despite support for reform, member states continue to disproportionately single out Israel through these types of resolutions”. She added that“it is deplorable that the United Nations – an institution founded upon the idea that all nations should be treated equally – should be so often used by member states to treat one state in particular, Israel, unequally.”