Sky News reports on the appalling and ridiculous UNESCO vote that declared the Old City of Hebron a “Palestinian World Heritage Site in Danger.” It reports:
Israel is particularly offended because there is an ancient shrine in the centre of the town: known to Jews as Tomb of the Patriarchs, and the second-holiest site in Judaism, and known to Muslims as Ibrahimi mosque.
The important religious site, which was built by Muslims in the 14th century, is believed to be the resting place of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
To the uninformed, which would be the majority of the audience, the second line implies that the holy site was built by Muslims in the 14th century, when, in fact, the site dates back thousands of years prior to the building of a mosque. The way this story is worded erases this Jewish history and connection and makes casual readers believe that Jews and/or Israelis are claiming a Muslim site as their own.
It is most likely that the journalist meant to relay that the site had been built on and modified over the centuries by whomever happened to be in control of the territory at the time. This is not, however, an excuse for bad copy.
In addition the story states:
Israel seized the West Bank in the 1967 war in a move considered illegal by the United Nations.
Israel did not “seize” the West Bank. It came to control the territory in a war of self-defense, which was not “considered illegal by the United Nations.” While the UN has questioned the legality of subsequent Israeli policies in the West Bank, the act of coming into possession of those territories was never deemed illegal at the time.
This Sky News report is poorly worded and deserves to be corrected.
Please send your considered comments to Sky News – [email protected]
© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025
