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| International-UN-NGOs |
| Unesco gives Palestinians full membership |
| 2011-10-31 |
| Unesco, The United Nations' cultural agency, has decided to give the Palestinians full membership of the body, in a vote that will boost their bid for recognition as a state at the UN. Of course they did. Birds of a feather and all that. Unesco is the first UN agency the Palestinians have sought to join as a full member since President Mahmoud Abbas applied for full membership of the United Nations on Sept. 23. The United States, Canada and Germany voted against Palestinian membership. Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and France voted in favour. Britain abstained. Thanks Dave. Huge cheers went up in Unesco after delegates voted to approve the membership Monday. One shouted "Long Live Palestine!" in French. Israel said that the vote will harm prospects for the resumption of Middle East peace talks. "This is a unilateral Palestinian manoeuver which will bring no change on the ground but further removes the possibility for a peace agreement," Israel's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "This decision will not turn the Palestinian Authority into an actual state yet places unnecessary burdens on the route to renewing negotiations." |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #4 Well, if one considers jumping through flaming hoops, the Great Tunnels of Gaza, and bullet wounds to the feet as cultural achievements... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2011-10-31 21:22 |
| #3 Well, you can't keep ignoring Palestinians' magnificent cultural achievements. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2011-10-31 15:32 |
| #2 Ay-Pee indicates that the US has made cutting off funds official. |
| Posted by: gorb 2011-10-31 13:48 |
| #1 U.S. may withhold $80m funding from UNESCO after it approves Palestine's membership request The U.S. could withhold up to $80 million in funding to UNESCO after the U.N. cultural agency approved a request to admit Palestine as a full member. Officials in Washington are required by law to cut their funding to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation if a Palestinian Liberation Organisation is approved membership to any United Nations group. Huge cheers went up in UNESCO after delegates voted to approve the membership request during the groupÂ’s 36th General Conference in Paris today. |
| Posted by: tipper 2011-10-31 13:13 |