Yosef Rabin
UTTM Foreign Affairs Director Yosef Rabin, slammed the behavior of UNESCO writing: "The denial of the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount, constitutes a public assault on the Jewish Faith and Nation and we will not stand silent in the face of such blasphemy against our Holy of Holies...It is unthinkable that an organization dedicated to protecting heritage sites worldwide would ignore historical facts in an attempt to deny the Jewish People the site of their Holy Temple. Would UNESCO deny the Muslim connection to the Kaaba or of the Catholic Church to Vatican City?".
Rabin received a 15 minute phone call briefing from Mr Francesco Bandarin, Assistant Director-General at UNESCO on Monday afternoon, to assure him that that the Director-General is very concerned about developments and is working hard to express her opposition. The two exchanged warm words and Bandarin committed himself to updating Rabin from the World Heritage Committee in Istanbul.
The United Temple Mount Movement was founded in response to the ongoing systematic denial of Jewish access, worship and connection to the Temple Mount, the place of Holy Jewish Temple. Over the last seven years, the movement has become the umbrella for 29 groups and organizations, representing a growing community of over 15,000 Jews who make regular pilgrimage to the Temple Mount. Since it's founding in 2009, the struggle for free Jewish access and worship on the Mount has broadened to encompass secular and religious Jews, Members of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), rabbis and educators across the country.
The two are scheduled to speak again today, as efforts continue to stop the dangerous and biased resolution.
The written exchange can clicking on the following Links.
UTMM Letter to UNESCO
UNESCO Response to UTMM