Czech lower parliament: UNESCO Jerusalem resolution strengthens antisemitism

"The Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic's Parliament on Wednesday voted 119-4 to condemn the UNESCO resolution that ignored Jewish ties to the Temple Mount.

The parliamentarians called on their government to not vote for UNESCO resolutions with such a text and to protest 'against the politicization of UNESCO.'

The lower parliament statement on this matter passed with the support of 119 members. Only four parliamentarians from the Communist Party opposed it. Out of the 200 seat body, 149 parliamentarians were present.

Such a resolution 'carries the spirit of hateful anti-Israel' sentiment, the parliamentarians stated, adding that it also ignored Christian ties to the holy sites in Jerusalem.

The Jerusalem resolution 'discredits' UNESCO's 'neutrality' and 'strengthens the international anti-Semitic tendencies,' the politicians stated.

The lower parliament issued its statement after UNESCO's Executive Board approved a resolution that spoke of the Temple Mount solely by its Muslim name of Al-Haram Al-Sharif, even thought it is also Judaism's most holy spot and the site of where the Jewish Temple stood 2,000 years ago.

Next week, the 21-member World Heritage Committee is set to vote on a resolution that uses similar language."