Myths & Facts: Quotes - UNITED NATIONS

CLICK HERE to return to Main Quotes Page

"It is deeply troubling that UNESCO allowed itself to be manipulated by ignoring Jewish and Islamic tradition and buying into the new Palestinian claim from 1996 that Rachel’s Tomb should be named for Muhammad’s slave, Bilal ibn Ribah, who was buried in Damascus."

— Dore Gold, Former Israeli Ambassador to the UN

"The attempt to separate the nation of Israel from its cultural heritage is absurd... If the places where the fathers and mothers of the Jewish nation- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Leah and Rachel- are buried some 4,000 years ago, are not part of the Jewish heritage, then what is? It is unfortunate that an organization that was established with the goal of promoting the cultural preservation of historical sites around the world, is attempting to uproot the connection between the nation of Israel and its cultural heritage."

— Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister

"Direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians have been and still remain the only way forward to resolve the longstanding conflict in our region. Therefore, the resolution before [the Security Council] should never have been submitted. Instead the international community and the Security Council should have called upon the Palestinian leadership - in a clear and resolute voice - to immediately return to the negotiating table without preconditions and to renew direct negotiations."

— Meron Reuben, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations

“I would love to be involved in a useful conference that addressed continuing issues of racism and discrimination around the globe... [Durban II though] is hypocritical and counterproductive"

-- Barak Obama, US President