PA official: UNESCO proves that Jews have “no religious or historical connection to Jerusalem”
Headline: "Fatah: The law forbidding the Muezzin’s call expresses the extent of the extremism and racism in the Israeli occupation state"
"The Fatah Movement emphasized that the fact that the Ministerial Committee of the Israeli occupation government approved the law forbidding [the sounding of] the Muezzin’s (i.e., the person who sings the Muslim call to prayer) call in the mosques (sic., the bill does not refer to any specific religion) in preparation for it to be raised in the Israeli Parliament is nothing but an expression of the extent of the extremism and racism within this government…
[Fatah] Revolutionary Council member and Fatah Spokesman Osama Al-Qawasmi… emphasized that this bill is very dangerous, will lead to an increase in the tension, and constitutes a blatant attack against the sensibilities of the Muslims and their right to hold their religious ceremonies without limitations and conditions. He also emphasized that this bill contradicts international law and the recent UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) resolutions, which have determined that the Jews have no religious or historical connection to Jerusalem."
On Feb. 12, 2017, a bill to ban religious institutions from broadcasting over loudspeakers between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. was authorized by the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation. The bill now needs to be ratified by the Israeli Parliament. The bill is intended to prevent noise pollution. This bill is referred to by many as the "Muezzin Law," although it does not refer to any specific religion.
Other countries have already approved or attempted legislation for regulating the use of loudspeakers in mosques in order to limit noise pollution. These include India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Bahrain, the United Emirates, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, the UK, Austria, Norway, and Belgium, and the US. The PA has also passed legislation regarding the use of loudspeakers in mosques in order to reduce noise pollution.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) passed a resolution in Paris on “Occupied Palestine” on Oct. 13, 2016, with 24 countries voting in favor, 6 against, and 24 abstentions. The resolution was later approved by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee on Oct. 26, 2016, in a secret ballot in which ten countries voted in favor of the resolution, two opposed, eight abstained, and one country, Jamaica, was absent.
In the resolution UNESCO refers to the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, only as “Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif,” and presents it only as a “Muslim holy site.” The resolution condemns “escalating Israeli aggressions” and Israeli “violations” at the site, and calls on Israel “to respect the integrity, authenticity and cultural heritage of Al-Aqṣa Mosque/Al-Ḥaram Al-Sharif… as a Muslim holy site of worship.” The resolution likewise refers to the Western Wall Plaza as the “Al-Buraq Plaza ‘Western Wall Plaza,’” adding quotation marks to the Jewish name for the site.
The resolution was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and Sudan.
The countries voting for the resolution were: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chad, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Vietnam.
Those voting against it were: Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, The Netherlands, the UK, and the US.
Mexico later noted for the record that its position on the issue is one of abstention, although the vote count was unaffected.
Full text here: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002462/246215e.pdf
"The Fatah Movement emphasized that the fact that the Ministerial Committee of the Israeli occupation government approved the law forbidding [the sounding of] the Muezzin’s (i.e., the person who sings the Muslim call to prayer) call in the mosques (sic., the bill does not refer to any specific religion) in preparation for it to be raised in the Israeli Parliament is nothing but an expression of the extent of the extremism and racism within this government…
[Fatah] Revolutionary Council member and Fatah Spokesman Osama Al-Qawasmi… emphasized that this bill is very dangerous, will lead to an increase in the tension, and constitutes a blatant attack against the sensibilities of the Muslims and their right to hold their religious ceremonies without limitations and conditions. He also emphasized that this bill contradicts international law and the recent UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) resolutions, which have determined that the Jews have no religious or historical connection to Jerusalem."
On Feb. 12, 2017, a bill to ban religious institutions from broadcasting over loudspeakers between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. was authorized by the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation. The bill now needs to be ratified by the Israeli Parliament. The bill is intended to prevent noise pollution. This bill is referred to by many as the "Muezzin Law," although it does not refer to any specific religion.
Other countries have already approved or attempted legislation for regulating the use of loudspeakers in mosques in order to limit noise pollution. These include India, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Bahrain, the United Emirates, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, the UK, Austria, Norway, and Belgium, and the US. The PA has also passed legislation regarding the use of loudspeakers in mosques in order to reduce noise pollution.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) passed a resolution in Paris on “Occupied Palestine” on Oct. 13, 2016, with 24 countries voting in favor, 6 against, and 24 abstentions. The resolution was later approved by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee on Oct. 26, 2016, in a secret ballot in which ten countries voted in favor of the resolution, two opposed, eight abstained, and one country, Jamaica, was absent.
In the resolution UNESCO refers to the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, only as “Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif,” and presents it only as a “Muslim holy site.” The resolution condemns “escalating Israeli aggressions” and Israeli “violations” at the site, and calls on Israel “to respect the integrity, authenticity and cultural heritage of Al-Aqṣa Mosque/Al-Ḥaram Al-Sharif… as a Muslim holy site of worship.” The resolution likewise refers to the Western Wall Plaza as the “Al-Buraq Plaza ‘Western Wall Plaza,’” adding quotation marks to the Jewish name for the site.
The resolution was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, and Sudan.
The countries voting for the resolution were: Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chad, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Malaysia, Morocco, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, and Vietnam.
Those voting against it were: Estonia, Germany, Lithuania, The Netherlands, the UK, and the US.
Mexico later noted for the record that its position on the issue is one of abstention, although the vote count was unaffected.
Full text here: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002462/246215e.pdf