Chairman David Amsalem of the Knesset Interior Committee said Thursday that UNESCO's decision to recognize the State of Israel as an occupying power in Jerusalem was rooted in government and the Likud party of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's own disrespect for tradition.
Writing on his Facebook page, the Likud lawmaker said, "A people that does not respect its tradition should not be surprised that UNESCO determines that we have no connection to the Temple Mount. We must preserve the status quo at the Western Wall and the Sabbath," adding, "This is the position of most Likud voters!"