Israel Plans to Follow US in Exiting UN Agency

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel plans to pull out of the United Nations' cultural agency following the "brave and moral" decision by the United States to withdraw from UNESCO.

=2:40 p.m.

U.S. authorities have disclosed to The Associated Press that the United States is hauling out of UNESCO, after rehashed feedback of resolutions by the U.N. social organization that Washington sees as against Israel.

While the U.S. quit financing UNESCO after it voted to incorporate Palestine as a part in 2011, the State Department has kept up an UNESCO office at its Paris home office and tried to say something regarding approach off camera. The withdrawal was affirmed Thursday by U.S. authorities talking on state of secrecy since they weren't approved to be freely named examining the choice. It was not clear when the move would be formally declared.

The choice comes as the U.N. Instructive, Scientific and Cultural Organization is voting to pick another chief this week, in tense balloting eclipsed by the office's subsidizing inconveniences and divisions over Palestinian enrollment.

3:15 p.m.

The State Department says the U.S. is hauling out of UNESCO in light of what Washington sees as its hostile to Israel inclination and requirement for "principal change" of the U.N. social organization.

In an announcement, the State Department said it advised UNESCO chief Irina Bokova on Thursday of the choice. The U.S. will look to have a "changeless eyewitness" status.

It says the withdrawal will produce results Dec. 31, 2018. The United States suspended its UNESCO subsidizing in 2011 over its vote to incorporate Palestine as a part, and now owes about $550 million in back installments.

U.S. authorities said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson settled on the choice and that it was not talked about with different nations but rather an interior U.S. government pondering.

The authorities, who were not approved to be freely named talking about the issue, said U.S. is eminently furious over UNESCO resolutions denying Jewish associations with sacred destinations and references to Israel as an involving power.

3:30 p.m.

The director of UNESCO is expressing "profound regret" at the U.S. government's decision to pull out of the U.N. cultural agency because of what's seen as longstanding anti-Israel bias.

Director-general Irina Bokova said in a statement that the departure is a loss for "the United Nations family" and for multilateralism. She said the U.S. and UNESCO matter to each other more than ever now because "the rise of violent extremism and terrorism calls for new long-term responses for peace and security."

A native of Bulgaria, Bokova defended UNESCO's reputation, noting its efforts to support Holocaust education and train teachers to fight anti-Semitism. She traced the decades-long U.S. ties with UNESCO, and noted that the Statue of Liberty is among the many World Heritage sites protected by the U.N. agency.

Bokova's two terms as director have been deeply scarred by the 2011 UNESCO vote to include Palestine as a member, funding troubles and repeated resolutions seen as anti-Israel.

5:35 p.m.

The decision by the United States to exit the United Nations' cultural agency is rattling other countries who say the move will harm the struggling UNESCO.

France's ambassador to the U.N., Francois Delattre, said UNESCO's ideals are "part of America's DNA" and that "we need an America that stays committed to world affairs."

Tatiana Dovgalenko, Russia's deputy permanent representative to the agency, told The Associated Press that the departure of "one of the countries that founded the U.N. system" is "a shock and a pity."

However, Dovgalenko insists there won't be a power vacuum.

She said: "Countries like us and China have our influence already."

Washington says it is withdrawing because of what it sees as anti-Israel bias in UNESCO resolutions and the agency's need for reform.

6:00 p.m.

Israel's U.N. ambassador is calling the United States' withdrawal from UNESCO "a turning point."

Danny Danon said in a statement that the United Nation's education, cultural and scientific agency now knows that its "absurd and shameful resolutions against Israel have consequences."

Danon said: "Today is a new day at the U.N., where there is a price to pay for discrimination against Israel."

The United States announced Thursday that it is pulling out of UNESCO because of what the Trump administration sees as its anti-Israel bias and a need for "fundamental reform."

Danon praised the U.S. decision. He says: "The United States stands by Israel and is a true leader for change at the U.N."

Danon added: "The alliance between our two countries is stronger than ever."

UNESCO extended membership to Palestine in 2011.

Danon said: "UNESCO has become a battlefield for Israel-bashing and has disregarded its true role and purpose."

6:45 p.m.

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations says the "extreme politicization" of UNESCO — the U.N.'s cultural, education and scientific agency — has become "a chronic embarrassment."

Nikki Haley called the agency's designation of Hebron's Old City and the Tomb of the Patriarchs as Palestinian territory the latest of many "foolish actions" that led to the United States' decision to pull out of UNESCO.

Haley says the U.S.'s view from 1984 when President Ronald Reagan also withdrew from UNESCO holds true today: "U.S. taxpayers should no longer be on the hook to pay for policies that are hostile to our values and make a mockery of justice and common sense."

She said: "The United States will continue to evaluate all agencies within the United Nations system through the same lens."

In addition to the actions in Hebron, Haley singled out "keeping Syrian dictator Bashar Assad on a UNESCO human rights committee even after his murderous crackdown on peaceful protesters."

6:50 p.m.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel intends to haul out of the United Nations' social office following the "overcome and good" choice by the United States to pull back from UNESCO.

Netanyahu said Thursday that UNESCO has turned into a "theater of the foolish on the grounds that as opposed to saving history, it twists it."

He says he has requested Israeli representatives to set up Israel's withdrawal from the association working together with the Americans.

The United States declared on Thursday that it is hauling out of UNESCO due to what the Trump organization sees as its hostile to Israel inclination and a requirement for "key change." It says the withdrawal will produce results Dec. 31, 2018.

The United Nation's training, social and logical organization has passed a few resolutions against Israel. It stretched out participation to Palestine in 2011.