US, Israel Quit UNESCO Citing Bias Against The Jewish State

Israel will withdraw from the the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) after a United States decision to do the same on accusations of bias against the Jewish state, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"The prime minister instructed the foreign ministry to prepare Israel's withdrawal from the organisation alongside the United States," Netanyahu's office said in a statement.

"Israel welcomes the decision by President Trump to withdraw from UNESCO. This is a courageous and moral decision because UNESCO has become the theatre of the absurd and because instead of preserving history it distorts it,” the statement read.

The withdrawal of the US, which is meant to provide a fifth of UNESCO's funding, is a major blow for the Paris-based organisation. US has already withheld its funding for UNESCO since 2011, when the body admitted Palestine as a full member.

A UNESCO resolution backed by Arab states last year condemned Israeli’s policies at religious sites in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. The resolution drew criticism from Israel, US, and other countries for being biased against the Jewish state. (PTI)