UNESCO 'LANDMARK' DECISION: At least that is what the UN is calling it:

UNESCO's Executive Board has adopted a decision reaffirming the outstanding universal value of the Old City of Jerusalem and the need to protect and safeguard this World Heritage site. The decision followed a special meeting of the Board – whose 176th session has been underway in Paris since 10 April.

Since all that was really affirmed was talk, apparently it is a landmark decision because it is about a landmark--not because it is an actual turning point.

Commenting on the outcome of this “landmark decision”, the Chairman of UNESCO’s Executive Board, Zhang Xinsheng (China) noted that this was the “first time that Israelis and the Palestinians had worked together to ensure the protection of Jerusalem, an endangered World Heritage site common to all of humanity; and to work together constructively towards achieving consensus on this important and highly complex matter.” The decision, he said was "the fruit of an open, generous and constructive dialogue, the results of which will help to ensure that consultations amongst all parties become the usual practice.”

Quite an even-handed description, equating the destruction of archaeological artifacts by the Palestinians with the attempt by Israel to save them.

More to the point, I'd like to see the signature by the Palestinian representative affirming "the outstanding universal value of the Old City of Jerusalem"--that Jerusalem has historical value to Jews and not just to Arabs.

Thanks Discarded Lies for the link!

Technorati Tag: Israel and Jerusalem and UN and UNESCO.