Israel suspends ties with UNESCO in spat over Jerusalem holy site.

Israel suspends ties with UNESCO in spat over Jerusalem holy site

UNESCO's Reminder to Israel: Jerusalem Is Occupied Territory.

Source: REUTER

Israel has suspended ties with UNESCO, the UN body in charge of preserving culture and history, after a draft decision that Israel says ignores Judaism's ties to the religion's holiest site.

On Thursday, in a 24-6 vote, UNESCO gave preliminary approval to a resolution that denies Jewish ties to its most holy religious sites: the Temple Mount and the Western Wall.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs lauded the decision.

"Palestine will continue to defend the rights of our people through all available legal and diplomatic avenues, including UN organizations," a ministry statement said. "Our peaceful agenda will not be derailed by propaganda, nor will our tolerance and adherence to international law by altered by fallacies and cynical spin."

To Jews and Christians, the Temple Mount is the site of the foundation stone on which Adam was created and the site where Abraham came to sacrifice his son Isaac. To Jews, it is also the site of the First and Second Temples. To Muslims, it is the site where the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven on his miraculous "night journey."