To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE


SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

Jews and Christians Shocked as UNESCO Gives Cave of the Patriarchs to the Palestinians: Israel Rejects Ruling

Bob Eschliman : Jul 10, 2017  Charisma News

"It is disappointing and embarrassing to see time and again how UNESCO denies history and warps reality in order to serve, consciously, the interests of those who wish to destroy the Jewish state and wipe it off the map. Israel will not cooperate with UNESCO until the organization ceases to be a political goring tool instead of a professional organization." -Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett

(Israel)—[Charisma News] Bit by bit, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's World Heritage Committee is erasing the Judeo-Christian origins of the Middle East. (Photo: Cave of the Patriarchs/credit: Utilisateur:Djampa/via Wikimedia Commons)

The latest attack came Friday morning, when the committee voted 12-3, with six abstentions, to declare Hebron's Cave of the Patriarchs as an "endangered Palestinian heritage site." The vote was sought from the Palestinian Authority through several of the committee's many Muslim-majority members.

Also known as the Tomb of the Patriarchs, the cave is identified in the Bible as the burial site of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, and Jacob and Leah. Some Orthodox Jews also consider it the burial place of Adam and Eve.

But, to Muslims, it is referred to as Ibrahimi Mosque, or the Sanctuary of Abraham. It is located in Hebron's Old City in the Judean Mountains. That area is considered "occupied" Palestinian lands by the UN after it was won by Israel during the Six Day War.

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon blasted the decision:

"UNESCO's attempt to sever the ties between Israel and Hebron is shameful and offensive. This is an ugly display of discrimination and an act of aggression against the Jewish people. No UN agency can disassociate our people from the burial grounds of our patriarchs and matriarchs."

Ironically, despite declaring it a Palestinian heritage site, the World Heritage Committee's inscription recognizes its importance to Christians and Jews, as well:

The use of a local limestone shaped the construction of the old town of Hebron / Al-Khalil during the Mamluk period between 1250 and 1517. The center of interest of the town was the site of Al mosque-Ibrahim / the tomb of the Patriarchs whose buildings are in a compound built in the 1st century AD to protect the tombs of the patriarch Abraham / Ibrahim and his family. This place became a site of pilgrimage for the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The town was sited at the crossroads of trade routes for caravans travelling between southern Palestine, Sinai, Eastern Jordan, and the north of the Arabian Peninsula. Although the subsequent Ottoman Period (1517-1917) heralded an extension of the town to the surrounding areas and brought numerous architectural additions, particularly the raising of the roof level of houses to provide more upper stories, the overall Mamluk morphology of the town is seen to have persisted with its hierarchy of areas, quarters based on ethnic, religious or professional groupings, and houses with groups of rooms organized according to a tree-shaped system.

The cave is beneath what was originally a Jewish structure built during the reign of King Herod roughly 2,000 years ago. Following the Muslim conquest of Israel, Saladin converted the structure into a mosque. It is the oldest continuously used intact prayer site in the world.







SHARE THIS ARTICLE Printer friendly version of this page

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Other Recent Articles from Breaking Christian News

Why the Resurrection of Jesus Is the Most Important Event in History

President Trump Cited the Gospel of John in an Easter Message to Christians Worldwide

Artemis Astronaut Offers Easter Thoughts About the Bible and God's Provision for Humans

School Suspends Student For Supporting ICE Agents, after Allowing a Protest Against ICE

The 'Moment California Has Been Waiting For'; Trump Endorses Steve Hilton for Governor

Boise Removes LGBT 'pride' Flag from City Hall Due to New Idaho Law

Democrats Sue Over Trump's Executive Order on Mail-in Ballots

'God Was Watching Us': Trump, Ratcliffe, Hegseth Detail 'Miracle' Rescue of Airmen during Press Conference; 2 Top Iranian Terrorists Killed

An Easter Miracle!! 2nd Crew Member from Downed Jet in Iran Rescued and Safely Extracted after Intense Race to Reach Him before IRGC Terrorists

PRAYER ALERT: US F-15 Fighter Jet Downed in SW Iran, 1 Pilot Rescued and Safe; Search Continues for Second One

Dutch Sheets: Good Friday Message & Communion

'I Began to Pray': Pastor Talks Down Crazed Man Who Points Gun Directly at Him, Leads 10 to Christ

Trump HHS Renews Planned Parenthood Grants for 'Final Year' Due to Legalities, But 'Funds CANNOT Be Used for Abortions'

WATCH: Families at the Center of Washington State Transgender Sports Debate Stand Firm for Truth

Levin: Ruling Against Birthright Citizenship Should Be a 'Slam-Dunk' for Supreme Court [Video]

Colorado Appeals Court Reverses Tina Peters' Sentencing, Could This Lead to Her Freedom?

March Job Growth Triples Expectations, Unemployment Rate Dips

Artemis II Mission Pilot: 'We Need Jesus; Whether Here on Earth or Orbiting the Moon'

Democrat Lawmaker Steps Down, Says Faith No Longer Aligns with Left's Agenda

Trump Administration Charges 9 in Massive Massachusetts Fraud Scheme



Search the Articles Archives

Keyword:  
Author:  
Words Posted On:  
Day Month Year



Subscribe to
Breaking Christian News


Follow BCN on Twitter
Are You Praying for Our Government Leaders?
BCN Staff

Steve Shultz
Steve Shultz, Managing Editor
Founder and Owner


Aimee Herd
Aimee Herd, Editor


BCN Plus
Are You Praying for President Trump?
 
 

All articles on this site and emails from BCN are copyrighted property of Breaking Christian News. Permission is given to link to, or share a BCN story if proper attribution is given to both the original writer and summarizer of the story. Breaking Christian News 2005-2019. All Rights Reserved.


Breaking Christian News is a division of Elijah List Publications, Inc. All Rights Reserved


Disclaimer: Articles and links, as well as the source articles linked to; do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Breaking Christian News.

editor@breakingchristiannews.com