Israel may regret hasty UNESCO exit
Israel reacted quickly to the US announcement that it was pulling out of UNESCO with one of its own, potentially forfeiting an opportunity to shore up its international presence.
PARIS — Relations between Israel and UNESCO have long been strained, but UNESCO’s 202nd executive board meeting provided a rare moment of satisfaction for Israeli diplomacy. On Oct. 8, just hours before the dayslong voting process for the agency’s next director-general kicked off, the decision was made to delay voting on two resolutions related to Israel and Jerusalem.
Similar resolutions generated harsh Israeli reactions last year, when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to limit cooperation and financing for joint projects. Likewise, when UNESCO adopted a resolution on Hebron’s Cave of the Patriarchs in July, Netanyahu called it "delusional."
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