Netanyahu reads from Bible to prove Hebron’s Tomb of Patriarchs is Jewish

Netanyahu read from the Bible to demonstrate that UNESCO’s resolution on Hebron negated religion, history and the facts.  

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu read passages from the Bible during Sunday’s weekly Cabinet meeting as a refutation of Friday’s resolution passed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee designating the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Hebron a Palestinian heritage site.

“I would like to read from Genesis 23:16-19: ‘And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the hearing of the children of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant…And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre–the same is Hebron–in the land of Canaan. And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying-place by the children of Heth,'” Netanyahu read.

“The connection between the Jewish People and Hebron and the Tomb of the Patriarchs is one of purchase and of history which may be without parallel in the history of peoples,” Netanyahu declared.

“Of course this did not prevent the UNESCO World Heritage Committee last Friday from passing yet another delusional resolution which determined that the Tomb of the Patriarchs, the same Cave of Machpelah, is a Palestinian heritage site,” the Israeli premier derided the resolution.

Netanyahu explained that in wake of this resolution, he has decided to cut an additional $1 million from Israel’s UN membership dues and transfer the funds to the establishment of “The Museum of the Heritage of the Jewish People in Kiryat Arba and Hebron.” The money will also serve additional heritage initiatives related to Hebron.

He tasked Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Ze’ev Elkin with submitting a proper proposal on this matter.

“Against UNESCO’s denial, Israel will present to the world the historical truth and the Jewish People’s deep connection – of thousands of years – to Hebron just as we did with UNESCO’s other delusional decision regarding the absence of a connection to Jerusalem,” Netanyahu vowed.

After UNESCO previously passed Muslim-sponsored resolutions denying the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and the Old City, Israel reduced its UN dues.

“Therefore today I have instructed that procedures be completed for the construction of the Kedem Center for displaying the historical and archaeological findings for the City of David,” Netanyahu said of the new museum on the Jewish people’s ancient history in Jerusalem. “This will be an impressive structure with extensive displays. The entire world will see the truth and the first visitors whom I will invite there will be UNESCO and UN delegations.”

The UNESCO resolution characterized the site as facing danger, which directly contradicts facts on the ground.

This designation attempts to eliminate the Jewish people’s millennia-long connection to the sites, at which the founders of the Jewish religion are buried.

By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News

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