Israel Slams UNESCO's 'One-Sided' Resolution

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israel slammed UNESCO's pending decision regarding Jerusalem's Old City, calling it "completely one sided" and saying it "deliberately ignores" Jewish and Christian ties to Israel's ancient capital.

Meanwhile, several Arab states submitted a draft resolution to UNESCO this week accusing Israel of damaging Islamic holy sites on the Temple Mount with "illegal excavations and works."

The resolution also castigates Israel for building a light rail line near the Old City walls, claiming it damages the "visual integrity and the authentic character of the site."

Israeli Foreign Ministry Director General Dore Gold said the UNESCO resolution "deliberately ignores the historical connection between the Jewish people and their ancient capital."

"The Jewish people restored their majority in Jerusalem in the mid-19th century," Gold said. "Their ancient synagogues were destroyed and desecrated by a coalition of invading armies in 1948, who ethnically cleansed the Old City of any Jewish presence."

The UNESCO resolution, he said, is "hypocritical, at best."

"As the historical heritage sites of this area are being systematically destroyed by jihadist forces, such as the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, UNESCO's adoption of utterly false allegations about Israeli archaeological practices is misplaced and hypocritical, at best," he said.