UNESCO: Rachel's Tomb and Cave of Patriarchs part of 'Occupied Palestine'

"The PX [Programme and External Relations] Commission of the Executive Board of UNESCO on Wednesday morning adopted resolutions 28 and 29, titled 'Occupied Palestine,' which state that the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem are 'an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian territory' and condemning the construction of the security fence and 'other measures aimed at altering the character, status and demographic composition of the Occupied Palestinian territory.'

Both resolutions were sponsored by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Sudan, and were approved within minutes at the commission's meeting, which includes the 59 members of UNESCO's Executive Committee. Israel is not a member of the Executive Committee.

The resolutions also refer to Israel as 'occupier' and condemn 'Israeli army violations against Palestinian universities and schools,' criticize the construction of the security fence, deplore the destruction of Palestinian schools, including in the village Khan al-Ahmar and regret Israel's excavation projects in east Jerusalem...

Over the years, UNESCO included both items in the final text adopted annually by the agency's Executive Committee. But when Audrey Azoulay took office last year as head of UNESCO, a compromise was achieved, with the resolutions adopted as an annex, and not inside the body of the text. This was the case today as well..."