U.S., Israel quit U.N. heritage agency citing bias

[webfact]

U.S., Israel quit U.N. heritage agency citing bias

By John Irish

 

The logo of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is seen in front of its headquarters in Paris, France, October 4, 2017. Picture taken October 4, 2017. REUTERS/Philippe Wojazer

 

PARIS (Reuters) - The United States and Israel announced on Thursday they were quitting the U.N.'s cultural agency UNESCO, after Washington accused it of anti-Israeli bias.

 

The withdrawal of the United States, which is meant to provide a fifth of UNESCO's funding, is a major blow for the Paris-based organisation, founded after World War Two to help protect cultural and natural heritage around the world.

 

UNESCO is best known for designating World Heritage Sites such as the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria and the Grand Canyon National Park.

 

"This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organisation, and continuing anti-Israel bias," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

 

Hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would quit too, calling the U.S. decision "brave and moral".

 

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expressed her disappointment: "At the time when conflicts continue to tear apart societies across the world, it is deeply regrettable for the United States to withdraw from the United Nations agency promoting education for peace and protecting culture under attack," she said.

 

"This is a loss to the United Nations family. This is a loss for multilateralism."

 

Washington has already withheld its funding for UNESCO since 2011, when the body admitted Palestine as a full member. The United States and Israel were among just 14 of 194 members that voted against admitting the Palestinians. Washington's arrears on its $80 million annual dues since then are now over $500 million.

 

Although Washington supports a future independent Palestinian state, it says this should emerge out of peace talks and it considers it unhelpful for international organisations to admit Palestine until negotiations are complete.

 

In recent years, Israel has repeatedly complained about what it says is the body taking sides in disputes over cultural heritage sites in Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories.

 

"Today is a new day at the U.N., where there is price to pay for discrimination against Israel," Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said.

 

Netanyahu told world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly last month that UNESCO was promoting "fake history" after it designated Hebron and the two adjoined shrines at its heart - the Jewish Tomb of the Patriarchs and the Muslim Ibrahimi Mosque - as a "Palestinian World Heritage Site in Danger."

 

An Arab-backed UNESCO resolution last year condemned Israeli's policies at religious sites in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

 

Under UNESCO rules, the U.S. withdrawal will become effective as of the end of December 2018. Three diplomats had told Reuters earlier on Thursday of the impending decision.

 

TRUMP EFFECT

 

The organisation, which employs around 2,000 people worldwide, most of them based in Paris, has struggled for relevance as it becomes increasingly hobbled by regional rivalries and a lack of money.

 

UNESCO, whose full name is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is in the process of selecting a new chief, whose priority will be to revive its fortunes.

 

The U.S. move underscores the scepticism expressed by President Donald Trump about the need for the U.S. to remain engaged in multi-lateral bodies. The president has touted an "America First" policy, which puts U.S. economic and national interests ahead of international commitments.

 

Since Trump took office, the United States has abandoned the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks and withdrawn from the Paris climate deal. Washington is also reviewing its membership of the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council, which it also accuses of being anti-Israel.

 

"The absence of the United States or any large country with a lot of power is a loss. It's not just about money, it's promoting ideals that are vital to countries like the United States, such as education and culture," a UNESCO-based diplomat said, warning that others could follow.

 

For differing reasons, Britain, Japan and Brazil are among states that have yet to pay their dues for 2017.

 

Russia's former envoy to UNESCO told RIA news agency the agency was better off without the Americans.

 

"In recent years, they've been of no use for this organisation," Eleanora Mitrofanova said. "Since 2011 they have practically not been paying to the budget of this organisation... They decided to exit - this is absolutely in line with Trump's general logic today."

 

After four days of secret balloting to pick a new UNESCO chief, Qatar's Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari qualified for the Friday runoff.

 

France's Audrey Azoulay and Egypt's Moushira Khattab were tied in second. One will be eliminated after another vote by 58-member Executive Council on Friday. If the two finalists end level, they draw lots.

 

The election has exposed deep rivalries between Qatar and Egypt that has its roots in the crisis engulfing Qatar and its Gulf Arab neighbours which have severed diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Doha after accusing it of sponsoring hardline Islamist groups, a charge Qatar denies.

 

(Additional reporting by Yara Bayoumy in Washington, Michelle Nicholls at the United Nations, Sudip Kar-Gupta in Paris and Dmitry Solovyov in Moscow; editing by Peter Graff and Toby Chopra)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-13

[ezzra]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

"This is a loss to the United Nations family. This is a loss for multilateralism."

When bigotry, prejudice and favortisem  is the order of the at UNESCO,

why would anyone want to be a member in this family? unless of

course you're the

Palestinians entity... and the "Loss" they're bemoaning the loss of 500

million dollars in donations made by the US....

[ilostmypassword]

3 hours ago, ezzra said:

When bigotry, prejudice and favortisem  is the order of the at UNESCO,

why would anyone want to be a member in this family? unless of

course you're the

Palestinians entity... and the "Loss" they're bemoaning the loss of 500

million dollars in donations made by the US....

You got it wrong.  No one is 

"bemoaning the loss of 500

million dollars in donations made by the US.."

Those payments were never made in the first place.

[OMGImInPattaya]

Good!

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said:

You got it wrong.  No one is 

"bemoaning the loss of 500

million dollars in donations made by the US.."

Those payments were never made in the first place.

I've read a few articles about this.  Money was a big issue.  The UK backed out many years ago, then later rejoined.  The US did the same thing.  I think the US funds 22% of this organization.

[ilostmypassword]

5 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

I've read a few articles about this.  Money was a big issue.  The UK backed out many years ago, then later rejoined.  The US did the same thing.  I think the US funds 22% of this organization.

The US hasn't been funding UNESCO for many years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i

[geriatrickid]

1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said:

You got it wrong.  No one is 

"bemoaning the loss of 500

million dollars in donations made by the US.."

Those payments were never made in the first place.

I believe the arrears are US$550 million  

Because of those arrears, the USA had its voting right suspended.

Considering the  waste and corruption at UNESCO, the US refusal to pay the inflated fees isn't so bad. The USA had been asking for reforms and a  more transparent  and fair approach to the assessment of the fees. UNESCO ignored those pleas.  This isn't a Trump issue as the  concerns with UNESCO were there when Obama was President as were the arrears. 

 

Here's an idea, let countries like  Thailand pay for the preservation of their cultural sites instead of purchasing submarines and an aircraft carrier. I find it puzzling that UNESCO and foreign NGOs  paid for the restoration at Ayutthaya at a time when Thailand had money to support a bloated military bureaucracy. let the Africans pay for the preservation of their culture instead of  stealing the funds or building  lavish palaces etc. Let  The Chinese and Russians contribute more.

 

[craigt3365]

28 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

The US hasn't been funding UNESCO for many years.

Well aware of that.  The UK also bagged out for many years.  Wonder if they had to pay their back dues also?

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41598991

Quote

1985: UK withdraws, rejoining under change of government in 1997.