Blinken says Israel supports US return to UNESCO

US Secretary of State Anthony Blingen said on Wednesday that Israel, which withdrew from UNESCO along with the United States in 2019 on charges of misconduct, had no objection to Washington’s return.

Questioned by lawmakers, Blingen called on Congress to give President Joe Biden the power to drop legislation ending US funding to any international body, such as the United Nations Cultural Organization, which recognizes Palestine as a state.

“We hope the exemption will be important and necessary, and I can say with authority that our partners in Israel feel the same way.

Recalling UNESCO’s role in education and the growing field of artificial intelligence, Blinken said the United States has suffered because of its absence.

“When we’re not at the table to shape this dialogue and shape these ethics and standards, there’s someone. Someone could probably be China,” Blingen said.

Until 2011, the United States spent about 22%, or $ 80 million, of the Paris-based agency’s budget.

Former US and Israeli leaders Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have completely withdrawn from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization after eight years.

Israel did not accept the decision, including recognizing Hebron, an ancient city of Jewish and Muslim shrines in the occupied West Bank, as a Palestinian World Heritage Site.

Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online.