Update: U.S. Cuts Funding to U.N. Agency for Approving Palestinian Membership
- Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:43pm by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration on Monday cut off funding for the U.N. cultural agency, after its member countries defied an American warning and approved a Palestinian bid for full membership in the body.
The lopsided vote to admit Palestine as a member of UNESCO, which only the United States and 13 other countries opposed, triggered a long-standing congressional ban on U.S. funding to U.N. bodies that recognize Palestine as a state before an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal is reached. The State Department said a $60 million payment to UNESCO scheduled for November would not be made as a result, and U.S. officials warned of a “cascade” effect at other U.N. bodies that might follow UNESCO’s lead.
“Today’s vote by the member states of UNESCO to admit Palestine as a member is regrettable, premature, and undermines our shared goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. She said the U.S. remained committed to UNESCO and its goals, which include the promotion of science, education and culture, and that the administration would work with Congress to preserve U.S. interests and influence in the body.
But, while Nuland said the U.S. would maintain its membership and participation in UNESCO, the organization’s internal rules will strip Washington of its vote if it is delinquent in paying its dues for two years.
It is not clear how U.S. membership would work in the interim, especially since UNESCO depends heavily on U.S. funding. The U.S. provides 22 percent of its budget – roughly $80 million a year – but has survived without it in the past: The United States pulled out of UNESCO under President Ronald Reagan and rejoined two decades later under President George W. Bush.
Of potential greater concern to the administration is the possibility that the Palestinians, buoyed by the 107 to 15 vote in their favor at UNESCO, will apply for membership in other U.N. organizations that the United States values, like the World Intellectual Property Organization, the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, or the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“We don’t see any benefit, and we see considerable potential damage, if this move is replicated in other U.N. organizations,” Nuland said. “We are trying to make clear what the implications for us, what the implications for these organizations are, of the move that the Palestinians started here. And we are hoping that this will end here and we can get back to the peace talks because that is the place where we’re going to be able to achieve the aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
Senior State Department officials were meeting Monday with executives from numerous high-tech firms to consider options if the U.S. is forced to restrict its participation in the World Intellectual Property Organization, which sets global standards for copyrights and adjudicates cross-border patent disputes. “We need to make sure that our companies understand the implications of what’s happened and begin that conversation with them.”
The UNESCO vote was a fallback for the Palestinian leadership that presented its plan for U.N. recognition as a state and full membership in the global body in September. Israel has fiercely opposed the bid, and it has no chance of passing because the Obama administration has promised to veto any resolution in the Security Council.
Nuland said U.S. payments to the Paris-based organization effectively stopped Monday. While more than 150 countries voted for the Palestinian bid or abstained, Nuland insisted that their decision “creates tensions when all of us should be concerting our efforts to get the parties back to the table.”
The U.S. has long brandished the Palestinian efforts at the U.N. as counterproductive to the Mideast peace process. But Washington has been unable to present a viable alternative, after a year when Israelis and Palestinians have refused to hold any direct talks on the parameters of peace agreement with one another.
“The United States remains steadfast in its support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, but such a state can only be realized through direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians,” Nuland said.
White House spokesman Jay Carney also called UNESCO’s approval “premature” and a distraction for peace talks. Carney spoke as U.N. Mideast peace envoy Tony Blair was meeting Monday with President Barack Obama at the White House.
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Comments (109)
flasho
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 6:40pmTime to scrap the UN.
Report Post »pavepaws
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:03pmFirst drop UNESCO then the UN.
Report Post »Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:05pmU.S. out of the U.N.
U.N. out of the U.S.
Report Post »AOL_REFUGEE
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:15pmPull out of the UN altogether. Let them eat crap.
Report Post »bmwrider
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:53pmWhat the U.S. doesn‘t understand is that Palestine and the Palestinian people can’t be bought. They don’t want money, the want freedom!
kindling
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 8:06pmI agree with the Lesbian with the gun. We need to get it out of the country and us out of the UN. If fact we need to stop getting involved in other countries business and take care of our own business. We can produce our own goods and let the rest of the world take care of themselves.
Report Post »The10thAmendment
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 8:40pmBulldozers to shove that den of devils into the bay, and full metal jackets to eliminate its worthless members. Warn the world. Attack the United States your Country will be eliminated from the face of the earth. Attack Israel, same result.
Want to try to test the waters. GO FOR IT! We need to test our buttons anyway.
Report Post »mbean
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 9:55pmThe UN should move all it’s offices to Saudi Arabia, that bastion of freedom and human rights.
Report Post »kraphtsman
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 10:07pmTime to pull the US out of the UN, stopping ALL payments to this bogus organization… and kick them out of New York (or, charge the UN $ Trillion a year in rent and utilities… then foreclose on the dump when they can’t pay up, and IMMEDIATELY tear their stinking building down.. to be replaced by something useful… like a parking lot).
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 11:06pmSo the so called ‘palestinians’ can force the US out of the UN by getting more agencies to support it? Good.
Report Post »RossPoldark
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 11:52pmLet’s scrap the UN, and let all these European, Asian and Middle east countries take care of their own and deal with their own neighbors. Let’s Scrap UNESCO also. With all the money we save, we can help our own economy. Mother Theresa said that charity begins in our own back yard!!!
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 12:13am@bmwrider
Report Post »Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:53pm
What the U.S. doesn‘t understand is that Palestine and the Palestinian people can’t be bought. They don’t want money, the want freedom!
***
No, they want the extermination of Israel AND ALL JEWS!!!! They have maps to prove it, the palestinian charter says so, WHY WOULD ANYONE DOUBT IT?
Mil Mom
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 12:17am@The10thAmendment
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 8:40pm
Bulldozers to shove that den of devils into the bay, and full metal jackets to eliminate its worthless members. Warn the world. Attack the United States your Country will be eliminated from the face of the earth. Attack Israel, same result.
Want to try to test the waters. GO FOR IT! We need to test our buttons anyway
Report Post »****
WILL YOU PLEASE RUN FOR PRESIDENT? At the very least, PLEASE ACCEPT NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR?
Mil Mom
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 12:21am@kraphtsman
Report Post »Posted on October 31, 2011 at 10:07pm
Time to pull the US out of the UN, stopping ALL payments to this bogus organization… and kick them out of New York (or, charge the UN $ Trillion a year in rent and utilities… then foreclose on the dump when they can’t pay up, and IMMEDIATELY tear their stinking building down.. to be replaced by something useful… like a parking lot).
***
Made of glass, to eliminate all their spying capabilities from tunnels under it into the subways etc. WE COULD ALWAYS EVACUATE THE NEARBY OCCUPANTS TEMPORARILY WHILE OUR BOMBERS HAVE A LITTLE TARGET PRACTICE!!!
jb.kibs
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 12:28amFtheUN.
Report Post »marion
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 1:42amI have no simpathy for any tribe that has this as its charter. Specifically, Article 15, but other examples throughout. This isn’t a peaceful tribe being supressed, it is a tribe bent on the destruction of Israel and nothing else. I recommend reading this, it kind of throws all the lies about the Palestinians under the bus and make you ask yourself why you would support such a vicious tribe.
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/PLO_Covenant.html
Report Post »SLAPTHELEFT
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 8:32amYes bmwrider.
First thing to do is take off the shackles of islamic martyrdom. No reason to live their lives as cannon fodder for the corrupt mullahs and imams. Take off the suicide vests and hand it back to your imam. Let him blow himself up instead of raping little girls.
glad youve finally seen the light. Good for you.
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 10:24amThe US out of the UN.
The UN out of the US, as in “GTFO”.
Report Post »bmwrider
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 4:58pm@slaptheleft: Don’t worry, someday scientists will find a cure for your mental retardation and your suffering will end.
Report Post »garclar
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 6:07pmThing is they are trying to go around the bargaining stage, they do not want to give up anything, just have it handed to them. Not going to work when Israel holds all the cards, weapons, diplomatic maneuvers, and the backing of the US. This is all posturing anyway, nothing will ever come of this, besides Israel is going to do the right thing for Israel anyway….
Report Post »welovetheUSA
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:59pmNow cut off funds to the Palestine………Obama has tripled the funds since he took office.
Report Post »pamela kay
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:20pmThese funds were cut off with an agreement that it would only be temporary until they get us under control. Don’t let them fool you. We have brought it out in the open and Obama is trying to use it against us to gain support. The clock is ticking and the progressives know it.
Report Post »People Eatn Tasty Animals
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 10:09pmObama doesn’t care about Isreal..Its a show for the jewish vote..Who was the first person he called first person he called when he took office???.Mahoum abbas…Wonder why??
Report Post »Banter
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:36pm@rose-ellen
“You’re exagerated foreign aid comes with too many strings[like embrace our way of life or we murder you].”
Sounds like you are projecting from the satanic cult you worship – convert or we kill you!
Report Post »Banter
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:37pmthis was meant for rose-ellen
Report Post »AvengerK
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:42pmDon’t worry about ROSE-ELLEN..she just says stuff that conforms to her twisted little world.
Report Post »On a brighter note…we just saved the taxpayer 80 million dollars. Admittedly…Obama didn’t initiate it..it’s an automatic, pre-conditioned cut…but at least he had the where with all to allow the cut to take place. As always though with Obama..let’s wait and see if it actually does stay that way.
ares338
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:20pmWell that’s surprising! I didn’t think the goobermint had it in them.
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:59pmCut off all funding to the UN and kick them out off US soil.
Report Post »LeoC4
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:12pmAbsolutely!
Report Post »smackdown33
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:14pmGet out of all foreign entanglements, including Israel.
Report Post »BCPATIOT
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:17pmI.. thought the old arguement was to keep your enemys close…so you can control them. Sounds like Obummer is getting his secret wish.
Report Post »HKS
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:57pmDitto on that, what about all that money that we are spending on renovations to their palace. Can it all, we don’t need them at all. They haven’t done us any favors at all. Bite the hand that feeds you and you starve. Make it happen.
Report Post »Hiswill
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:39pmIn a few days you’ll see a story from Iran, Saudi Arabia or other Muslim country saying THEY will cover the 62 million dollars the US didn’t send. The do gooder will say how horrible the US is for not funding the U.N. cultural agency,and we want to be your friend so here is the $.
Report Post »moreteaplease
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:24pmThat’s a start.
Let’s just get out all together. The Pals now have a foot in the door and you know they will not stop at this.
I’m betting that Barry is not too happy about this at all. Watch for the administration to hatch some underhanded plan to reverse it.
Report Post »Anamah
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:47pmMoreteaplease, I agree thats the start… at least. We should fire the complete Institution to get out of this country!
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 12:39am@moreteaplease
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:24pm
That’s a start.
Let’s just get out all together. The Pals now have a foot in the door and you know they will not stop at this.
I’m betting that Barry is not too happy about this at all. Watch for the administration to hatch some underhanded plan to reverse it
Report Post »***
He’s good at Money Laundering, the Arabic countries will get an extra $62 mill in aid so they can make it up.
tomloy
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:20pmGood! The US should cut ALL funding to the UN. Its anti-US and anti-Israeli views are at odds with the best interests of the US. The US should withdraw its membership from the UN!
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:19pmit’s all posturing for the American voter that obama hopes to con.
that filthy animal obama is funding these terrorists of his under the table already with OUR hard-earned tax dollars.
Report Post »Lantern
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:18pmI’d like to see them cut ALL funding to the UN, pull out of the UN, and kick the UN out of the US.
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:48pmAgreed.
Report Post »SlimnRanger
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 9:31pmA big Aman Lantern,The U.N. is against the United States so kick em to the curb
Report Post »lynda1276
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:16pmGood work- this is a “start” now cut ALL funding and get the heck out of that useless organization!
Report Post »Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:12pmWhy Fund Terrorist? UN Fund the U.N. Send them to France.
Report Post »noleftturn
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:11pm…. defund the UN in total. Use the money to buy more drones.
Report Post »Evil_Conservative
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:46pmexactly. and use the building for a drone factory.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:46pmIt’s in Manhattan. Let OWS move in and trash the place, if they like, so downtown gets a break.
Report Post »Mil Mom
Posted on November 1, 2011 at 12:50am@Lloyd Drako
Report Post »Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:46pm
It’s in Manhattan. Let OWS move in and trash the place, if they like, so downtown gets a break
***
Probably the rats wouldn’t know the difference from the ones currently occupying it. Same mindset, same attitude, same backers, same leaders , same beggarly attitude, EXCEPT when the UN levies a tax, the dem’s and progs pay up, the ows has to ask them to levy so far!
bullcrapbuster
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:09pmGet out of that evil, corrupt, disfunctional organization that has never done anything positive to advance freedom. George Bush was a fool for rejoining communist controlled UNESCO. Typical of a RINO president.
Report Post »UBETHECHANGE
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:08pmPlease read this speech from the Congressional Record by Rep Burdick(R-ND) from 1954 regarding the UN, NATO, UNESCO, and “change” agents in our Government. They have been piece by piece dismantling our Constitution and brainwashing children for many years. Get the US out of the UN then get the UN out of the US http://www.libertygunrights.com/UsherBurdickSpeech.html
Report Post »americansfightingforcommonsense
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 11:00pmGreat article. Everyone in America should read this and understand what we up against. It made me think about how Hillary Clinton has been trying to sign a small arms treaty that would keep us from owning handguns. It’s about time the American People wake up and realize that Constitution is hanging by a thread at that Obama, Pelosi, Dodd, Fraank, Weiner, clintion x2, Harry Reid, really are fighting against our independence. They wantons to be controlled by the World Government. Get your food,water,and ammo ready because they will try to take over. Why else would they be falling in line with OWS and the crazy lunatics that we see are a part of this agenda?
Report Post »inexiletill2012
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:06pmNow cut ALL U.N. funding…..
an I will be happy : )
Report Post »Lord_Frostwind
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:34pmI won’t be happy until we repossess that building of theirs in New York. After which I propose that we make it into the Museum of Failure.
Report Post »natstew
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:40pmdittos, cut all U.N. funding and evict them from the U.S.
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:51pmDefund the UN? heck-if i wasn‘t a humanist catholic and didn’t care about foreclosed and out of work citizens-i would wish a republican right wing jingo would win the 2012 election. I would be sure the US would pull out of the UN and stop tyranizing the world with their simple stroke of a pen vetoes.They smugly veto every resolution that would bring justice to the victimized palestinians. [Though they wern't so smug when those vetoes brought you some blow back -one beautiful sept.morning].Your hypercapitalism,war mongering,and unjust support of israeli tyrany have made you disrespected by the world. The worlds peoples are rising up and you’re a hindrerance as you reveal yourselves to being rabid nationalists with a penchant for embracing anti semitic[against muslims this time] genocidal ideologyYou’re a threat to mankind and a hindrence to peace and justice for the people of the world rising up in spite of you-not because of you-to claim their rights.let the jingo win!
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:33pmRose-Ellen….Humanist Catholic?
Report Post »What a contradiction, huh?
Catholics who supposedly are against abortion vote for a president who approves of even partial-birth abortion.
Then, realizing the contradiction, they call themselves ‘Humanist’ Catholics. Problem is, Dem/Socialists always have contradictions. Kind of like lying to cover up a lie. Your nose is getting longer and longer, R-Ellen.
foosgoddess
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:01pmAt a wonderful gathering of Chritians and Jews in San Antonio last night, a guest speaker suggested completely defunding the UN because of the Palestinian issue. A packed house at one of the country’s largest super churches – stood an cheered. It was a very nice moment.
Report Post »Brae
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:00pmWooHoo!!! An annual savings of 60 million!!!! A great way to start to cut the spending! Cut off all of the UN and save even more! Then kick their sorry asses out of the Country and save even more!!
Report Post »kindling
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 8:13pmThen cut off funding to every country with their hands out to us, (they all hate us anyway), cut our federal government by 3/4 and then pull all our military home to protect our borders and throw all the illegals out……PROBLEMS SOLVED!
Report Post »TXVET48
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:55pmLet’s be proactive and cut funding to all UN agencies and the UN proper.
Report Post »Trance
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:58pmMy thoughts exactly. The UN is a joke. Nothing more than a vehicle for evil to become mainstream since they can’t compete militarily.
Report Post »josh345
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:03pmtotally agree!
Report Post »angelonquest2000
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:13pmlets cut funding for the entire middle east and their friends, budget problem solved! Help the people of this country for once!
Report Post »TLS
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 11:34pmI am with you!
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:53pmInteresting….
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:50pmWow, how much arm-twisting did it take for Obumbler’s administration to finally make the right call?
Get us out of the UN and kick them the hell out of here! Send the, to Pyongyang or Darfur where they will feel more at home.
Report Post »abbygirl1994
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:58pmI guarantee you there is something more sinister afoot.. I no more trust this administration than the man in the moon! Just wait it’ll come!
Report Post »TXVET48
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 4:06pmBHO and his lackeys didn’t do anything. The congressional ban kicked in and the state department had to stop payments. BHO will probably bypass congress and sign an executive order reinstating the agency’s money and apologize for our rude behavior.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:50pmWe should cut off ALL funding to the U.N. It is just a place where little dictators and terrorists go to spout off. There is no reason we should pay for the “privilige” of letting them do so.
TEA!
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:50pmGot a better idea:
A. Cut all funding to the UN.
Report Post »B. Tell them they have 24 hours to leave or the troops go in to evict them.
C. Withdraw completely from the UN.
D. Impeach Obama for his actions in this mess.
louise
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 7:22pmSnowleopard,
Report Post »Hey you stole my Christmas list!!!
Obama Snake Oil Co
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 3:49pmCut em off where it hurts, money. If they threaten to take the US vote away, cut even more to the countries that get aid from the US…..whimps.
Report Post »rose-ellen
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:22pmAnd become as obsolete as the world would love you to be. . The 21stc is here and people are rising up and your hypercapitalist super power staus is becoming more and more irrelevant .You showed your true colars as the world’s biggest thin skinned hypocrites with your preemptive wars and sudden love of torture and ditiching of your holier then though professed values the first and only time you got a dose of what you spent the whole 20th c doing-murding innocent men women and children for political reasons.You’ve become a menace to the world and to peace and justice.The world would love to see you hypocrites become a side show. You’re exagerated foreign aid comes with too many strings[like embrace our way of life or we murder you].
Report Post »Banter
Posted on October 31, 2011 at 5:40pm@rose-ellen
“You’re exagerated foreign aid comes with too many strings[like embrace our way of life or we murder you].”
Sounds like you are projecting from the satanic cult you worship – convert or we kill you!
Report Post »