On the recordDecember 2, 2014
When UNESCO admitted a nonexistent State of Palestine to its membership, it did so knowing U.S. law prohibits funding to any entity at the U.N. that grants the PLO the same status as other member states. The members of UNESCO also knew that admitting the so-called Palestine would have a negative impact on the future of the Israeli- Palestinian peace process; yet they enthusiastically welcomed Abu Mazen at UNESCO. The only explanation for UNESCO's willingness to allow these consequences to pass is that its members view the delegitimizing of Israel as its mission. They view helping Abu Mazen to unilaterally establish the de facto recognition for a Palestinian state as a worthy means to an end. We must not only block any attempt by the administration to restore funding to this entity which clearly has an agenda opposite to America's interests, but we must also work to block Abu Mazen's attempts at the U.N. to bypass his obligations to Israel by continuing his unilateral statehood scheme. ____________________
