Jerusalem/Cultural heritage – UNESCO Gen. Conference resolution

UNESCO

GENERAL CONFERENCE

Eighteenth Session

Paris, 17 October-23 November 1974

SOCIAL SCIENCES, HUMANITIES AND CULTURE

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Implementation of the resolutions of the General Conference

and decisions of the Executive Board concerning

the protection of cultural property in Jerusalem

Res. 3.427

The General Conference,

Taking into account the importance attached by Unesco, in accordance with its Constitution, to the protection and preservation of the world heritage of monuments of historic or scientific value,

Taking into accolfut also resolution 2253 of 4 July 1967 and resolution 2254 of 14 July 1967 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly calling on Israel to nullify the measures it has taken to change the status of the City of Jerusalem and to refrain from them in the future, and Security Council resolution 267 of 3 July 1969 and resolution 298 of 25 September 1971 expressing regret at Israel's disregard of the United Nations resolutions on the preservation of the status of Jerusalem,

Aware of the exceptional importance of the cultural property in the Old City of Jerusalem, not only to the countries directly concerned but to all humanity, on account of their unique cultural, historical and religious value,

Recalling that since the fifteenth session of the General Conference (1968) the Organization has urgently called on Israel to desist from any archaeological excavations in the City of Jerusalem and from any alteration of its features or its cultural and historical character, particularly with regard to Christian and Islamic religious sites (15C/Resolutions 3.342 and 3.343;

82 EX/Decision 4.4.2, 83 EX/Decision 4.3.1, 88 EX/Decision 4.3.1,

89 EX/Decision 4.4.1, 90 EX/Decision 4.3.1; and 17C/Resolution 3.422),

Bearing in mind that, at its seventeenth session, the General Conference, in resolution 3.422:

(a) Noted 'that Israel persists in not complying with the relevant resolutions and that its attitude prevents this Organization from undertaking the mission which is incumbent upon it under the terms of the Constitution';

(b) Invited 'the Director-General to continue his efforts to establish the effective presence of Unesco in the City of Jerusalem and thus make possible the actual implementation of the resolutions adopted by the Gencral Assembly and the Executive Board for that purpose';

Recalling that the Executive Board, at its 94th session (decision 4.4.1):

(a) was convinced by the purport of the Director-General's report on the mission of his representative to the City of Jerusalem that 'Israel persists in not complying with the relevant resolutions and that its attitude prevents this Organization from undertaking the mission which is incumbent upon it under the terms of its Constitution',

(b) condemned Israel's persistent violation of the resolutions adopted by the General Conference and the Executive Board in this regard,

(c) has submitted the matter to the General Conference to take such appropriate measures as are within its competence,

Whereas Israel, in persistently violating the resolutions adopted by the General Conference and the Executive Board with a view to preserving the cultural heritage of the City of Jerusalem, defies wilfully the world conscience and the international community,

Whereas the General Conference cannot remain passive before Israel's continuous persistence in violating its resolutions,

Guided by precedents adopted by the General Conference since its fourteenth session upon the persistent violation of its resolutions and the violation of the aims stipulated in the Constitution (14C/Resolution 11, l5C/Resolutions 9.12 and 9.14, 16C/Resolution 8 and 17C/Resolution 10.1),

1. Reaffirms all the resolutions mentioned above and insists on their implementation;

2. Condemns Israel for its attitude which is contradictory to the aims of the Organization as stated in its Constitution by its persistence in altering the historical features of the City of Jerusalem and by undertaking excavations which constitute a danger to its monuments, subsequent to its illegal occupation of this city;

3. Invites the Director-General to withhold assistance from Israel in the fields of education, science and culture until such time as it scrupulously respects the aforementioned resolutions and decisions.

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