Washington Withdraws from UNESCO: Accusations of Bias Against Israel and Support for Palestine and China

The United States of America announced on Tuesday its official withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), justifying its decision with accusations that the organization is "biased against Israel" and promotes "divisive issues." This decision reflects mounting tensions between Washington and the international organization and comes after years of American criticism of UNESCO's stances.

A spokesperson for the US State Department stated that "continued participation in UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States," confirming that the decision was made based on an internal assessment of American interests.

For its part, Israel welcomed the US decision. Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa'ar, commented, considering it "a necessary step, designed to promote justice and Israel's right to fair treatment within the United Nations system, a right that has long been violated due to politicization in this area." Sa'ar added that "the targeting and politicization of Israel by member states, within this organization and all professional UN agencies, must be stopped," emphasizing the need to end what he described as bias against Israel in international forums.

In contrast, UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, described the American withdrawal from the organization as "regrettable, though expected," indicating that the organization was aware of Washington's intentions beforehand.

The "New York Post" had previously reported that US President Donald Trump intended to withdraw from the organization due to its "anti-American and anti-Israel leanings." Last February, Trump ordered a 90-day review of the US presence in UNESCO, with a particular focus on investigating any "anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiments within the organization." The newspaper quoted a White House official as saying that during the review, administration officials objected to UNESCO's policies regarding "diversity, equality, and inclusion," in addition to its "pro-Palestinian and pro-China bias." This reflects the broadening scope of Washington's objections to include issues wider than just bias against Israel.