US to cut Unesco funding after Palestinians granted membership vote
“This vote will erase a tiny part of the injustice done to the Palestinian people,” Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told the meeting of the UN educational, scientific and cultural organization in Paris, after the result was announced.
Widespread applause greeted the result of Monday’s vote in the chamber, where a two-thirds majority is enough to pass a decision.
[I]n an emotional session, China, Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa voted in favor of Palestinian membership, while the US, Canada and Germany voted against and the UK abstained. […]
A US law passed in the 1990s allows Washington to cut funding to any UN body that admits Palestine as a full member.
The US currently funds more than 20% of Unesco’s entire budget. The proposed budget to be agreed by the conference for 2012 and 2013 is $653m, up $10m on the previous two-year figure. […]
A vote is expected in November at the UN Security Council on granting full membership of the UN to the Palestinians. The US has threatened to use its veto.
No member has a right of veto in Unesco, where each representative has one vote irrespective of a country’s size or budget contribution.
