Issues Under Fire: U.S. Withdraws from UNESCO Citing Anti-Israel Bias
Angered beyond measure over the Palestinian people's efforts on the world stage to achieve even the semblance of statehood, the Israeli government has been using its influence with the United States to thwart any progress, no matter how small. Apparently, the Israelis maintain a zero tolerance policy for any unilateral or independent activities in any form that may impact the status quo. When UNESCO recognized the old city of Hebron in the West Bank as a Palestinian world heritage site, Israel went off. This was the final straw. they screamed to the high heavens.
Citing UNESCO's anti-Israeli bias, Israeli officials blasted the decision, as well as denouncing a string of previous actions taken by the 73 year old international organization. UNESCO has been on thin ice with the U.S. and Israel for years, but the the shit hit the fan in 2016 when the Occupied Palestinian Resolution aka Document 200 EX/25 was passed. The resolution was a formal condemnation of the Israeli government for turning a blind-eye to overt aggression against the Palestinian people, as well as sanctions against Muslim use of the Abrahamic holy site, the Temple Mount and East Jerusalem.
With Israel's reputation for uber-senstivity to even the slightest criticism, UNESCO's leadership should've seen this coming. Given the fact that withdrawing from the organization has been routinely threatened, along with withholding funding to sway the decision making process, expecting the Trump administration, infamous for just such tactics, to react any other way was shortsighted. Considering the United States left for similar reasons in 1984 during the Reagan administration, the organization should have been prepared to respond with more than acknowledging its profound regrets.
Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, had this to say: "At a time when the fight against violent extremism calls for renewed investment in education, in dialogue among cultures to prevent hatred, it is deeply regrettable that the United States should withdraw from the United Nations leading these issues," she said in a statement. calling it a "loss for multilateralism." Rush Holt, head of the American Association for the Advancement of Science added his perspective stating, "the continued retrenchment of the U.S. administration from active participation in international diplomacy efforts and dialogue is deeply concerning to the scientific community."
Bottom line: It's obvious neither of these well-intentioned individuals has a clue as to whom they're dealing with currently occupying the Oval Office. For just about everybody on the planet has been convinced, concepts like diplomacy, dialogue, education, science and multilateralism are beyond the comprehension of an UNSTABLE MORON. With a limited attention span and vocabulary, "45" will never be able to appreciate the value an organization like UNESCO brings to the international community. Never! Podcast below.
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