For the first time in history, an agreement made almost 4000 years ago and recorded in the Bible, has been issued as a United Nations document today. At the request of Israeli Ambassador Chaim Herzog, Secretary General Kurt Waldheim circulated the contract between the Hebrew Patriarch Abraham and Ephron the Hittite for the purchase of the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, the West Bank city which is at the center of the current debate in the Security Council. Herzog’s letter was in response to the Islamic Conference’s claim that “all Jewish association with the city of Hebron, both religious and historical, are completely brushed aside, if not denied outright.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
