Jerusalem Christian gathering blasts UNESCO resolution


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JERUSALEM (AP) — Christians meeting in Jerusalem are denouncing this week's UNESCO resolution that uses only the Islamic name for the hilltop revered by Jews as the Temple Mount and by Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary.

The Rev. Malcolm Hedding told thousands of Christians attending an annual celebration of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles that the resolution approved Tuesday by UNESCO's executive board is in Hedding's words "a type of Nazi decision."

He said, "When you take away from a people their identity and their history, you take away the very reason for their existence."

Israel says the UNESCO resolution titled "Occupied Palestine" denies the Jewish connection to the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray.

Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, thanked the assembled Christians in a recorded message "for standing with the Jewish people" and with "the Jewish state of Israel."

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281-a-12-(The Reverend Malcolm Hedding, spokesman for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, at celebration of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles)-"people of Israel"-The Reverend Malcolm Hedding, spokesman for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, says Jews have a biblical claim to the Holy Land. (20 Oct 2016)

<<CUT *281 (10/20/16)££ 00:12 "people of Israel"

280-a-08-(The Reverend Malcolm Hedding, spokesman for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, at celebration of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles)-"for their existence"-The Reverend Malcolm Hedding, spokesman for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, says the UNESCO resolution denies Jewish heritage. (20 Oct 2016)

<<CUT *280 (10/20/16)££ 00:08 "for their existence"

282-a-06-(Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, at celebration of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles)-"state of Israel"-Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, says evangelical Christians are some of Israel's staunchest supporters. (20 Oct 2016)

<<CUT *282 (10/20/16)££ 00:06 "state of Israel"

283-a-11-(Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, at celebration of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles)-"and evangelical Christians"-Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, says his organization values its ties to evangelicals. (20 Oct 2016)

<<CUT *283 (10/20/16)££ 00:11 "and evangelical Christians"

279-a-06-(The Reverend Malcolm Hedding, spokesman for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, at celebration of the biblical Feast of Tabernacles)-"of Nazi decision"-The Reverend Malcolm Hedding, spokesman for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, says UNESCO shouldn't have passed a resolution using only the Islamic name of a site revered by Jews. (20 Oct 2016)

<<CUT *279 (10/20/16)££ 00:06 "of Nazi decision"

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