The U.S. is withdrawing funds for the UN cultural body
As predicted, a vote to grant the Palestinians full membership in the UN’s cultural body has triggered a freeze of U.S. funds to the organization. For starters, a payment of about $60 million due next month will not be made, a U.S. state department spokeswoman told the BBC. U.S. funds amount to roughly 25 per cent of the annual budget of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Washington’s move was dictated by a law passed in the 1990s that prevents the U.S. from giving money to any UN body that recognizes the Palestinians as full members before a peace deal with Israel is reached.