US Cuts Off $60M UNESCO Funding Over Palestinian Vote

Ynetnews.com reports:

The United States said on Monday that it had stopped its funding of UNESCO, the UN cultural agency, following its vote to grant the Palestinians full membership.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters the United States had no choice but to halt funding because of longstanding US law, saying Washington would not make a planned $60 million transfer that was due in November.

Earlier Monday, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization became the first UN agency to grant the Palestinian Authority a full-member status.

The vote was carried 107-14 despite Washington's explicit warning that it would pull its financial support of the agency. The United States provides about 22% of UNESCO's funding.

The United States, Canada and Germany voted against Palestinian membership, while Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and France voted in favor and Britain abstained. Unlike in the UN Security Council, none of UNESCO's members have veto power over its decisions.

While the vote is a landmark for the PA, it bears little impact on the issue of an eventual Palestinian state.

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