A feature in Business Insider UK and republished in The Independent is a great example of the intersection of gross stupidity between United Nations bodies and the media.
In “15 destinations to cross off your bucket list before they disappear,” the first destination comes as a major surprise:
While it is perhaps something of a mercy that the article recognizes that the Jerusalem’s Old City is actually located in Israel, there is certainly no good reason for it to be located in this feature.
One wonders how much research the author of the piece actually did. After all, relying on a clearly politically motivated maneuver by Jordan at UNESCO as far back as 1982 is hardly credible. Indeed, the Old City has survived pretty well considering it was added to the endangered list some 36 years ago. Doesn’t that speak volumes?
And since when is there a “lack of protection” for the Old City and “some controversy…with how it’s treated?”
It is only under Israeli sovereignty that the Old City has been protected for all religions. It is only under Israeli sovereignty that Jewish holy and cultural sites have been protected from desecration at the hands of others. And it is even under Israeli sovereignty that the Muslim Waqf has been afforded the administration of the Temple Mount complex.
Given that the Old City is probably the most important tourist destination in Israel, we would definitely put it on anyone’s bucket list of places to visit. But the only thing that looks to be disappearing is commonsense on the part of the author of this feature, Business Insider editors for keeping Jerusalem in the article, and The Independent for blindly republishing the piece.
(Note: The original article appeared on the Insider website before being picked up by Business Insider and then The Independent.)
© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025
