By Jeremy Stein
WASHINGTON D.C. –The United States announced Tuesday its decision to once again withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), citing what Washington perceives as an entrenched anti-Israel bias within the agency. This marks the second time the U.S. has pulled out of the global cultural and education body.
The move comes only two years after the Biden administration had rejoined the Paris-based agency, seeking to restore U.S. engagement with the global body. UNESCO is best known for establishing World Heritage Sites and promoting cooperation in education, science, and culture.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated that the withdrawal was directly linked to UNESCO’s perceived agenda to “advance divisive social and cultural causes.”
Bruce specifically cited UNESCO’s decision “to admit the ‘State of Palestine’ as a Member State is highly problematic, contrary to US policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.”
The United States has long voiced concerns over resolutions passed by UNESCO that it views as undermining the historical connection of Jewish people to Jerusalem and other holy sites, often framed in terms that acknowledge only Palestinian narratives. The admission of Palestine as a full member state in 2011 was a major point of contention that previously led the U.S. to cut funding and eventually withdraw during the Trump administration. The Biden administration’s decision to rejoin UNESCO in 2021 was an effort to re-engage with multilateral institutions.
The latest withdrawal underscores the continuing diplomatic challenges and deep-seated disagreements surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within international organizations.
