UNESCO has heard our message

It's been a terrible few months for the Middle East's Jewish heritage, among others.

In May, after several false rumours, came reports of the destruction of the ancient synagogue of Jobar near Damascus. Looters and iconoclastic Islamist rebels have long been threatening the priceless ruins at Dura Europos, which includes the site of an ancient synagogue.

In July the radical nihilists of Da'esh (Islamic State - IS) stormed into Mosul. As well as churches, Assyrian palaces and Shi'a mosques, they blew up the tomb of Jonah.

A group of determined young Assyrian Christians has stayed behind at al-Kosh in northern Iraq to defend the tomb of the Biblical prophet Nahum…

Now, however, there are flickers of light in the darkness - an international consensus is beginning to emerge to stem the damage. Most remarkably, the UNESCO director general, Irina Bokova, has spoken of the need to take urgent action to protect Jewish heritage in the Middle East…

A joint delegation of Justice for Jews from Arab Countries (JJAC) and le Conseil représentatif des institutions juives de France (CRIF) had submitted to Mrs Bokova up-to-date reports on the dire status of 100 Jewish holy sites remaining in Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Yemen, as well as recognizing some positive developments to preserve sites in Morocco and Tunisia…

 Shortly before her encounter with JJAC and CRIF, Mrs Bokova expressed her “dismay at the destruction of the historical synagogue of Eliyahu Hanabi (Jobar) in Damascus” and called “on all parties to halt immediately the destruction of Syrian heritage”. She re-iterated to the Jewish delegation that the destruction of this 400-year- old synagogue is “not acceptable”… Lire l’intégralité en anglais.

Source: http://www.jpost.com/Blogs/Clash-of-Cultures/UNESCO-has-heard-our-message-378165