UNESCO aid cut off by United States

The United States will stop paying $80 million in dues and voluntary contributions to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in response to the body’s vote to grant membership to the Palestinian Authority, but the fight over U.S. funding policy may not be over yet.

UNESCO voted 107-14 in favor of granting status to the Palestinians, triggering existing U.S. laws that prohibit American support of U.N. agencies that give the Palestinian Authority membership. Still, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland suggested the Administration could look for a way to rewrite or work around the law. It’s a tough bind for the administration: The White House and State Department support UNESCO’s mission, but there’s little chance that Congress will rewrite a law that is supported by the large bloc of pro-Israel lawmakers. Indeed, there seems to be a split at State between those who are mortified by the prospect of cutting off funding for UNESCO and those who understand the political peril of angering pro-Israel forces.

[Editor’s note: William Benton, father of Benton Foundation Chairman Charles Benton, led U. S. participation in organizing UNESCO, which he later served as representative under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.]