Why Did the US and Israel Decide to Leave UNESCO?

• 10.15.2017, 19:33
•  America,  World

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Palestine regrets the "incredibly political" decision by the US to withdraw from UNESCO, but believes that the organization will be able to survive such an act by the United States.

"We regret this decision, it is extremely political and is aimed at limiting the activities of the organization and its focus on issues of culture, education and heritage. We are confident that the organization will be able to survive such behavior as it used to experience such intimidation," representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Palestine told RIA Novosti.

It should be noted that a few days ago the United States announced a decision to withdraw from UNESCO. The country will remain a member of UNESCO until December 31, 2018, and from 2019 will be have the status of observer. Following this, Israel announced its intention to withdraw from the organization.

It should be mentioned that this is not the first demarche of the United States and Israel against the organization. Thus, in 2011, when Palestine became a full member of UNESCO, Israel ceased its membership, and the United States - the transfer of its membership fees.

Earlier, in 1984, when UNESCO recognized the historic part of the city of Hebron in the West Bank as part of the Palestinian cultural heritage, the United States ceased its membership in the organization, which was restored only in 2002.

Despite these steps of the US and Israel, the organization has not changed its attitude on the issue. So, in 2016, UNESCO adopted a resolution that the Temple Mount is an exclusive Muslim sanctuary.

The decision of Israel and the United States to declare a demarche against the organization this time takes place against the background of the election of the Director-General of UNESCO: the most likely candidates are representatives of Qatar and France (with Moroccan roots). Most likely, Israel considers this a serious threat to its interests. However, it is interesting that the United States, not Israel, expressed its dissatisfaction the first and in most dramatic way.

Undoubtedly, both Washington and Tel Aviv clearly realize that their move will not have the desired result, given their previous attempts. Termination of US membership in UNESCO will not be a serious loss, given that the US has not paid membership fees for many years. US actions obviously have another goal: at the UN General Assembly in New York in September, Trump stressed the need of reforms in the organization. Now the USA, leaving UNESCO, declares that it will return only in case of carrying out reforms in this organization. This is a clear signal to the United Nations and the international community as a whole that the United States can take decisive action if it does not like the course of development. However, such behavior of Washington can lead to its international isolation, as many analysts already say.