UNITED NATIONS — Senior United Nations officials have objected to a proposal by some Arab states to classify the Western Wall, one of the holiest sites in Judaism, as part of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City, following angry denunciations by Israel and many JewishAmerican groups.

The proposal is contained in a draft resolution to the executive board of Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The agency formally designates cultural treasures around the world.

The proposal to Unesco has emerged at a time when deadly violence between Israelis and Palestinians has been flaring over the Al Aqsa compound, known as the Temple Mount to Jews and the Noble Sanctuary to Muslims. New clashes erupted on Tuesday that left at least four Palestinians fatally shot.

The Unesco director general, Irina Bokova, expressed her objection to the resolution on Tuesday in a stern statement, saying it “could be seen to alter the status of the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls.”