News
November 01, 2011

AMP hails UNESCO’s historic vote for Palestine

Statements

(CHICAGO 11/01/2011) – Members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) overwhelmingly voted in favor of admitting Palestine as member state on Oct. 31, a move that immediately resulted in a denial of aid by the United States. Against the daunting ramifications – The US is UNESCO’s largest contributor; aid comprises more than 20 percent of the agency’s budget – 107 countries voted to admit Palestine, and 52 abstained. Only 14 voted against the move, including the US and Israel.

This move, which Palestinian officials say is the precursor to applying for membership in another 16 UN agencies they hope will boost their statehood bid in the general assembly, has practical ramifications for Palestinians as well. Palestine is home to several historic sites, including the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem and the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which could become protected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, or at least receive funding for maintenance and upkeep. Jordan has applied for World Heritage recognition for the Old City of Jerusalem and several sites within historic Palestine already have cultural heritage distinction.

 

Additionally, Palestinians now can apply to UNESCO for help in prohibiting Israel from removing thousands of their archaeological artifacts every year. Since Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza in 1957, it has illegally removed more than 200,000 historical and cultural artifacts, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Federal laws, passed by Congress in the 1990s, prohibit the United States from providing funding to any UN agency that admits members who do not have "internationally recognized attributes" of statehood. Currently, bills are pending in Congress that could cut all US donations to the United Nations, including to the UN Relief and Works Agency, which oversees millions of Palestinian refugees, if the Palestinians move forward in seeking statehood recognition.

US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters the United States would not make a planned $60 million transfer to UNESCO in November. The vote was "regrettable, premature and undermines our shared goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East," Nuland said.

AMP believes it is time for the United States to replace this stagnant argument with a pledge to support democracy and self-determination for the Palestinians.

At a time when democracy is sweeping through the Middle East and millions of Occupy protesters are demanding their rights in more than 150 countries, the United States’ blind support of Israel looks ever more irrelevant in the global arena. It is clear that after 20 years of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel, the only thing that’s changed is that Israel now possesses more Palestinian land and Palestinians have lost more rights, including the freedom of movement.

“The overwhelming support for Palestine is evidence the world no longer buys into Israeli colonial rhetoric,” said Dr. Hatem Bazian, AMP chairman. “Our country’s unconditional support of Israel and its occupation policies undermines the credibility of the United States, weakens our stance as an honest broker in the Middle East and threatens our national security.

AMP calls on Congress to fund UN agencies that provide much-needed humanitarian, cultural and social services around the world, instead of continuing to give Israel more than $3 billion in military aid that supports an occupation that is illegal and that deprives Palestinians of their basic human and civil rights.

More Statements