Paris, 12 April 2022

In a letter to UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, the Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr Shimon Samuels, raised concerns regarding Joseph’s Tomb, considered holy by Jews, Christians and Muslims – Yossef, Joseph, Yusuf – as the Biblical third generation of the Patriarchs, based on Abraham.

“Unfortunately, respect for Joseph is not included in the current Abraham Accords. Two Jewish worshippers have been shot at prayer at the site and the shrine itself was set alight a couple of days earlier by Jihadi Palestinian vandals,” noted Samuels.

The letter continued, “this year, the dates of Passover, Easter and Ramadan coincide.”

The Centre urged the Director-General, “as UNESCO is the guardian of world heritage sites... we urge you to denounce this desecration and to convene a meeting of the three Abrahamic faiths to take measures against those bent on destruction.”

“The Wiesenthal Centre, as an Associate Partner of UNESCO, with experience in multifaith conflict resolution, is ready to join in a campaign for the protection of such heritage sites,” concluded Samuels.