NEWS Italy Votes No to Latest UNESCO Resolution on Jerusalem

By Daniel Reichel
 
As promised by Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano during his visit to Israel last March, Italy voted against the latest UNESCO resolution on Jerusalem.

“Our opinion is very clear, UNESCO cannot become the venue for a permanent ideological clash to address issues that other bodies are delegated to solve”, said the Italian Minister, calling upon other countries to follow Italy’s example. After the vote, Alfano wrote on Twitter that “Italy voted no against UNESCO’s politicized resolution on Israel. Others are following the same path. Italy leads and is a not follower”.

“Unlike other European States, said the President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities Noemi Di Segni, our country has chosen to take a clear position looking at the future of Europe itself, showing a sense of responsibility and coherence with the promises made after it chose to abstain in the vote last October”.

The UCEI President underlined, in a message to Prime minister Paolo Gentiloni and FM Alfano before the UNESCO vote, said that, “As with the previous resolutions, this last one aims at delegitimizing the State of Israel and welcome the requests of those who still refuse to recognize the very existence of the Jewish state and refuse to choose a diplomatic, direct, respectful and wise dialogue, using instead every form of manipulation.” He wrote on Twitter: “Jerusalem is holy for the three monotheistic religions, and the political exploitation of UNESCO is wrong. Thank you Italy”.

Maurizio Bernardo, president of the inter-parliamentary Association of Friendship Italy-Israel, spoke of the right path undertaken by the Italian government.

“There remains, however, a great deal of regret for another UNESCO decision, which in fact aims at erasing the history of those who have contributed in writing Jerusalem’s history, like the Jewish people,” said Bernardo.