Palestinians win UNESCO membership
- 13 years ago
(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION)
The United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO voted on Monday to give the Palestinians full membership of the body -- a move that could boost Palestinians' bid for recognition at the U.N.
The United States, Canada, Germany and Israel voted against Palestinian membership, while Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and France voted in favour.
In total, there were 107 votes in favour of membership, 14 against, and 52 abstentions -- including Britain.
Admission will be seen by the Palestinians as a moral victory in their bid for full U.N. membership, but it could be costly for UNESCO.
Under U.S. law, the admission of the Palestinian territories as a full UNESCO member would trigger a cutoff in U.S. funding, which accounts for 22 percent of the agency's funding.
The United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO voted on Monday to give the Palestinians full membership of the body -- a move that could boost Palestinians' bid for recognition at the U.N.
The United States, Canada, Germany and Israel voted against Palestinian membership, while Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and France voted in favour.
In total, there were 107 votes in favour of membership, 14 against, and 52 abstentions -- including Britain.
Admission will be seen by the Palestinians as a moral victory in their bid for full U.N. membership, but it could be costly for UNESCO.
Under U.S. law, the admission of the Palestinian territories as a full UNESCO member would trigger a cutoff in U.S. funding, which accounts for 22 percent of the agency's funding.