U.N. Watch: UNESCO's insult | TribLIVE

U.N. Watch: UNESCO's insult | TribLIVE

U.N. Watch: UNESCO's insult

BY THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW | Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, 4:33 p.m.

Email Newsletters

Sign up for one of our email newsletters.

Updated 23 hours ago

Since the U.S. in 2011 withdrew its funding of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after it granted the Palestinian Authority full membership, little has changed within the so-called cultural arm of Turtle Bay. Witness its latest resolution:

In further appeasement to Palestinians, UNESCO dismissed the importance of the Old City of Jerusalem to Israel, which it refers to as the “occupying power,” The Daily Signal reports. And while UNESCO notes the significance of Jerusalem's holy sites to Christianity, Islam and Judaism, it specifies only Muslim holy sites, according to The Daily Signal.

“To say that Israel has no connection to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is like saying that China has no connection to the Great Wall of China,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Subsequently Israel has suspended its cooperation with UNESCO.

Rightfully so, the U.S. has suspended its UNESCO funding — U.S. laws prohibit funding any U.N. agency that grants membership to the Palestine Liberation Organization — but America remains an agency member. The Obama administration has tried repeatedly to change the law to allow U.S. funding. In effect, that would reward Palestinian efforts to avoid a negotiated peace or even recognizing Israel.

UNESCO has made clear its anti-Israel bias. The U.S. should make equally clear its objection by fully withdrawing from UNESCO.