UNESCO—Theater of the Absurd, Act II
By Charles E. McCracken
ACTION ALERT

Yesterday, the Executive Board of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) met in Paris.

UNESCO headquarters “World Heritage Centre” at Place Fontenoy, Paris.

In a vote coinciding with Israel’s 69^th Independence Day celebration, the 58 member executive board of UNESCO voted on a resolution rejecting Israel’s sovereignty in Jerusalem demonstrating a propensity to promote what Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely calls “fake history.” (1)

As in the case of the vote on October 13, 2016 resulting in the absurd UN Resolution 2334, UNESCO members once again disparaged Israel’s history with an irrational obsession to divide the city of Jerusalem.

Three thousand years ago, King David described Israel’s capital with the following words documenting Israel’s connection to the ancient city:

PSALM 122

“I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’
Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!

Jerusalem is built
As a city that is compact together,
Where the tribes go up,
The tribes of the Lord,
To the Testimony of Israel,
To give thanks to the name of the Lord.

For thrones are set there for judgment,
The thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May they prosper who love you.
Peace be within your walls,
Prosperity within your palaces.’

For the sake of my brethren and companions,
I will now say,

‘Peace be within you.’
Because of the house of the Lord our God
I will seek your good.”

UNRAVELING THE ABSURD

It is significant that UNESCO’s Item 30: Occupied Palestine resolution was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Sudan—all enemies of Israel. There were 23 abstentions; 22 nations supported and 10 opposed the resolution.

Even with this knowledge, unraveling UNESCO’s latest stunt is no easy feat.

The intent of Item 30: Occupied Palestine, however, is obvious in the following excerpt taken directly from the resolution:

“All legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, the occupying power, which have altered or purport to alter the character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and in particular the ‘basic law’ on Jerusalem, are null and must be rescinded forthwith.” (2)

Ironically, the afore referenced Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel was passed by the Knesset in 1967 under the leadership of Prime Minister Menachem Begin designating Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel and stipulated that no part of the undivided capital of Israel may be transferred to any foreign body permanently or temporarily.

Please note that it is the UNESCO resolution that in point of fact violates the Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel. (3)

Last year, the U.N. threw three millennia of documented history out the window by labeling Jewish towns and villages in Judea and Samaria—many of which have been in existence since biblical times—as so-called “illegal.”

Those drafting the resolution willfully ignored the fact that Jordan captured Judea and Samaria (the “West Bank”) during Israel’s War of Independence in 1948.  Please take note that these areas were originally allotted to Israel under the British Mandate.

Although Jordan’s annexation was virtually unrecognized by the international community, all Jewish inhabitants were forced out of the area. The U.N. did nothing to counter this blatant illegal occupation.

When Israel regained control of the area in another war for its very survival in 1967, the Jewish residents who were forced out by the Jordanians returned to their homes while allowing Arab residents to remain.

Unraveling Item 30: Occupied Palestine in light of the historical facts of Israel’s ancient and modern history actually renders UNESCO’s “illegal settlements” labeling of Jewish communities “null and must be rescinded forthwith.”

PERPETUATING THE ABSURD

The new resolution perpetuates the absurdity by deliberately defying Israel’s connection to east Jerusalem—the very location of the First and Second Temples and the ancient biblical city of Jerusalem that King David established as Israel’s capital.

In an audacious statement of absurdity, Arab-Muslim MK Ahmed Tibi declared,

“A two-state solution necessitates the creation of a Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital,” according to the Jerusalem Post. (4)

First, a “two-state” solution requiring Israel to give up Judea and Samaria is not the only option.

It seems obvious that the Palestinians are not interested in a two-state solution given that more than two decades of effort have been focused on that goal with no result despite offers of extremely generous concessions by Israel.

Second, ask yourself, on what grounds does any solution require a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital?

There has never been a Palestinian state in the history of the world and Jerusalem has never been the capital of any nation except Israel!

Only the willfully deluded cannot see the connection between Israel and the eternal city of Jerusalem. Tzipi Hotovely pointedly states,

“Israel does not need legitimacy from political organizations for its unshakable historic connection to our eternal capital Jerusalem, a connection of more than 3,000 years that speaks out from every stone in the city.” (5)

Only those with a premeditated obsession to destroy Israel and rewrite history absurdly disavow what every rational person recognizes—Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and the heart of the Jewish world.

Both biblical and secular history document Israel’s connection to Jerusalem. Prophetic passages in both Testaments of the Bible affirm the centrality of Jerusalem in Israel’s future.

ACTION ALERT

People always ask me, “What can I do? What difference will it make?”

People of faith in both the Christian and Jewish communities must act with purpose. At a minimum, there are two actions that you can immediately take:

Ÿ•  Call and email government officials that represent you to use whatever means available to them to put pressure on the U.N. to end the anti-Israel agenda and begin operating under the objective purpose for which it was created. According to the official website, “UNESCO is responsible for coordinating international cooperation in education, science, culture and communication.” (6)

Ÿ•  You can also choose to fulfill the mandate in the sixth verse of the hundred and twenty-second Psalm to, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!”  For people of faith, praying for peace for Jerusalem is more than an obligation; it is a distinct privilege to engage in an activity in agreement with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!

Then, make your support for Israel count by using the truth to inform those in your sphere of influence.

Charles E. McCracken is an international Bible teacher, long-time friend of Israel and advocate for the Jewish people. With 40 plus years of ministry experience, Rev. McCracken is known for authenticity in communicating biblical truth that makes his presentations relevant for those seeking to understand the significance of Israel and the church in Bible prophecy. He staunchly supports the nation of Israel and the Jewish people’s right to exist and live in peace. 

© Charles E. McCracken 2016, devotional comments only. Repost/Reprint with permission from the author via Contact Form under ABOUT. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (Emphasis added.)

ENDNOTES:
1) “Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister: ‘Welcome to (UNESCO’s) fake history.’” World Israel News, May 1, 2017.
2) “Item 30: Occupied Palestine.” UNESCO website.
3) “Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel.” The Knesset website.
4) Lazaroff, Tovah and Keinon, Herb, “UNESCO DISAVOWS ISRAELI SOVEREIGNTY IN JERUSALEM IN 22-10 VOTE.” THE JERUSALEM POST, May 2, 2017.
5) “UNESCO vote ‘falsifies history,’ harms body’s credibility.” The Times of Israel, May 2, 2017.
6) ”Introducing UNESCO.” UNESCO website.

IMAGE CREDITS:
1) UNESCO headquarters “World Heritage Centre” at Place Fontenoy, Paris. By Matthias Ripp (CC By-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons – Enhancement: MKM Portfolios
2) With the Jerusalem and Temple Mount panorama in the background, Charles E. McCracken stands on the Hass Promenade. Charles E. McCracken Archive – Enhancement: MKM Portfolios

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