Congressman Ted Deutch (FL-22), Ranking Member of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, issued the following statement after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Steering Committee passed a resolution denying Israel’s connection to Jerusalem:

“Once again UNESCO member states tried to deny the historical connection of the Jewish people to Israel. Referring to Israel as ‘occupiers’ of Jerusalem lacking any legal or historical rights to the holy city ignores the millennia-old connection of Jews to the land. For the 22 countries who voted in favor of the resolution, I’d encourage them to take a history lesson.

“To take this vote on Israel’s Independence Day is a particularly new low. It is Israel’s Declaration of Independence that declares the state ‘will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants, irrespective of religion, race, or sex.’ It is unfortunate that, as they try to criticize Israel, many of those who supported this resolution cannot even say the same.”