Unless UNESCO officially renounces it’s decision that the remains of Solomon’s Temple are not a Jewish World Heritage site, the US should stay out. A complete 180.
Neither Jew nor Israeli, I inherited a tourist’s booklet from the 1930’s in which the Arabs tout the site as the remains of Herod’s fabled Temple of Solomon. I agree little with Netanyahu, but he was spot on to compare the UNESCO decision that it is a Muslim site to declaring the Pyramids are not related to Egypt.
16
The US should stay out of UNESCO for the present time, until the time comes that UNESCO actually changes its attitude against Israel and is run by countries that are not corrupt and intransigent. The fact that UNESCO is run like the rest of the UN, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic, means that UNESCO can't do anything for the improvement of the planet and the cultures that inhabit it. One time, I would have proposed a UNESCO decision to declare an island off the coast of Taiwan as a possible Biosphere Reserve per UNESCO's regulations and recommendations, but now, I believe UNESCO is too politically polarized to be useful for promoting any policy or change for which it was originally established. Maybe it is time to terminate the United Nations and create a new organization that is more balanced in its world views, with members who are not corrupt. In other words, as bad as it may seem initially, there should not be any members who are Muslim majority nations unless they can prove that they are unbiased in their beliefs and policies, both nationally and internationally, and this should include their policies toward Israel.
19
I do not understand why the United States of America should be a part of UNESCO. I see no effort to make the United Nations anything but another scapegoat in a nation which is fundamentally broken beyond repair. The world is united in understanding that climate change is the most critical problem facing humanity and the USA and the lesser superpowers see economic, military and political power as their strength and their purpose.
America's greatest enemies lie within and the very concept of co-operation is alien to a large portion of American society.
America is not united in science, culture or education and many view expenditure for things like our cultural libraries a waste of money. The Talmud teaches us that our wealth is measured by the size of our library but the United States is not a Jewish country.
Forty years ago Reagan tore the solar panels from the White House and this week Canada has record lows and Australia and South America have record highs just as Carter told us.
America is a country in desperate need of new citizens and has decided to build walls when it needs bridges. Unesco can only tell the United States things it doesn't want to hear.
12
As always with Trump, it's all about what plays to his base. His base are people who don't travel the world, who don't express much curiosity about other cultures, and who don't see value in building bridges with the "Other."
Whatever its historic flaws, UNESCO is a standard-bearer for cultural value. Whenever I travel, I always take special notice of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Even in an age of TripAdvisor and travel websites, the organization provides a stamp of importance that is globally recognized.
21
There are 3 persons who master the politics of Mr. Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, Putin and Mohammed bin Salman.
2
Jerusalem is the the center of Judaism great significance to Islam and Christianity.UN organization that accepts part of that truth but not all of it is corrupt.
4
Nikki Haley's cesspools make Trump's swamps look the size of oceans.
2
This article doesn't seem politically biased at all.
2
Oh those pure hearts... :)
We'all pro-culture anti-cesspool and pro-choice... but only when it fits the ideology...
As dislikeable they are to the readership both Trump and Netaniahu are democratically elected...
They had the right to choose if our and their country needs to pay the dues (decided by Obama Adm) or leave altogether...
Maybe instead of leaving they should've chosen to expel some of the rogues out... like Iran, country that openly threatening another UN member with annihilation...
1
The Clown says jump, Israel says how high.
2
Mr. Cohen couldn't bring himself to mention that Audrey Azoulay, the new Director-General of the UNESCO, is of Jewish-Moroccan descent. Her father is a senior adviser to king Mohammed VI of Morocco and was an advisor to the previous king Hassan II.
2
A very sad truthin History: who is and has the power rules. So condemning Israel for actions agains the international rule is...antisemitism. It is like sayying things against the politics of Mussolini as antiitalian, and so on...
1
While we talking about UN organizations that do a lot of "good,"
let's not fail to discuss UNRWA.
https://www.cfnepr.com/205640/Terrorism-and-UNRWA-1
4
Does Cohen honestly think that 6 months of clean water cleanses 74 years of a cesspool?
I would wait a good five years to make sure that the water doesn't get contaminated again.
5
The "cesspool" is the White House and Tel-Aviv, which apparently follows the Donald.
Of course, it is natural that a man who builds big, gaudy, tasteless slabs of glass, steel, and gilt wouldn't understand the importance of cultural history, the legacy of brilliant creators from all nations that enrich our lives. Lest we forget, he had promised to save architectural portions of the 1929 Bonwit Teller building that was razed to make way for Trump Tower in Manhattan. The Metropolitan Museum had already indicated that they would take the sculptural reliefs. But, time is money and it would slow down the project to do proper salvage of the wonderful Art Deco detailing.
https://secretsofmanhattan.wordpress.com/2017/08/16/the-bonwit-teller-building-how-donald-trump-destroyed-an-art-deco-treasure/
The barbarian is inside the gates and it destroys all. Trump has no interest in anything that doesn't reflect glory on him. He'd tear down the Parthenon for a Trump Tower Athens because "location, location, location" and what a view the Parthenon has! Philistine.
1
From 2009 until the US and Israel left UNESCO, 71 of the 73 resolutions passed by the organization that criticized a country were directed at Israel. One doesn't have to be pro Israel to recognize this obsessive bias.
The appropriate question is why any democratic nation would lend moral credibility to an organization whose raison d'etre is crudely antisemitic.
12
Mr Cohen is correct.
Unfortunately from the comments here, the dangers of egoism and petulant punishment will continue to be ignored.
Bernardo says "There is no scientific evidence that Abraham and Sarah ever existed to be buried anywhere. ".
Are you saying that science has suddenly become of some value to the Trump administration?
There are those who have said Haley was the only one of many Trump nominees at the cabinet level to leave office who was not tainted. I disagree. She presided over leaving the field to both
those hating Israel and of course to Russia. Why does everything the Trump administration does internationally benefit Russia?
3
That UNESCO wastes huge sums of money is part of the problem.
Azoulay's attempts to downplay the anti-Israel bias have occurred because of the US and Israel moves to leave.
I think that until UNESCO cuts its bureaucracy and decentralizes to make excellent progress on the grass-roots level, and until they alter all the anti-Israel language[they still refer to the Cave of the Patriarchs as existing in "Palestinian occupied territory", for example, even though the site exists in free Israel], it is hard to pay for such an institution.
I question the author's comments about the President. I see an adherence to democracy and the rule of law, as opposed to his predecessor.
2
Decades of abuse, UNESCO lost its credibility that led Israel and USA to leave. Cohen trivializes the cause whilst emphasizing the negativity of the reaction. Cherry-picking a timeline with illusionary language does not change the reality for those who have followed this sad and sorry saga.
Let this dysfunctional organisation prove it's sincere in reforming an agency that's in step with the general UN repugnant attitude of bias towards anything Israel. The UN has a lot of work to do and in the current climate of International relationships, it is doubtful its capable of reform.
2
So let me understand your premise - Israel and the US should return after years of Israel bashing bias because they recently addressed those biased? That might be the worst argument I have ever heard.
5
This is just insane. The right wing is leading into the Dark Ages.
Defiant, disrespectful kids sometimes need to be taught lasting lessons: You do not bite the hand that feeds you nor insult your patrons. For years Unesco (and the UN itself) seemed to pride itself on demeaning the US and flaunt their support of terrorist nations--equating, conflating, and condemning US (and, yes, Israeli) actions in combatting and avenging violence and bombings with those of the terrorists that instigated these atrocities. You do not reward such disloyalty and bad behavior by saying "OK we're friends again" just because Unesco says "We are trying to change and do better." Prove it first, I say!!
5
"That makes no sense. "
What makes no sense Mr. Cohen is that the United States so blindly follows the whims of a tiny country with a tiny population occupying a tiny territory. It is utterly ridiculous and downright humiliating to see the world's last remaining superpower kowtowing to such a dwarf entity and none other out of the 193 other members of the United Nations.
4
I loathe Trump, but is going way too far, in my opinion, to say that our government is characterized by moral depravity. That does a disservice to the nearly one million people who serve that government at home and around the world.
4
Let me summarize this opinion: Cohen had lunch with the UNESCO director-general (they always have such grandiose titles) and in return, here's his puff piece. My opinion: UNESCO has been anti-U.S. and anti-Israel for decades; withdrawal was justified. If UNESCO changes its stripes over a period of say five years, the U.S. ought to reconsider its membership. There's no hurry just because Cohen had lunch with the nice new director-general.
7
Trump's and Israel's skepticism toward UNESCO is well deserved. UNESCO brought this upon themselves. If these new steps to correct their absurdly transparent political bias are genuine, then the US and Israel can always reengage with them later. They don't deserve to be looked at or forgiven instantaneously, as the non-stop Trump critic (like everyone at the NY Times) implies.
6
Structure UNESCO so that it is kept out of UN politics and do not allow it to be used as a political weapon by key blocs in the UN. All will be better off.
3
UNESCO is one of the world's greatest organizations. It might be expensive, but it's not corrupt. We need an international agency dedicated to preserving antiquity and appreciating and educating all of us about human culture and history.
4
@Scott
Does UNESCO educate or misinform?
1
Cohen would have more credibility to criticize Israel for its withdrawal from Unesco now, had he devoted any of his attention to the organization's blatant anti-Israel bias and politicization over years, if not decades. As for Israel's departure, it may not be very strategic, but blaming Israel for tiring of abuse and insults, not to mention asking it to throw good money after bad in the form of membership dues, is not very reasonable. As in any abusive relationship, there comes a point when the abuser's promises of improvement no longer seem very credible.
16
Of course the US and Israel quitting UNESCO as it reforms makes sense. Once you realize that the current governments of the United States and Israel are bad actors, the rest of the sequence falls into place.
1
Nikki Haley and Hillel Neuer are right on this one. Curiously, Mr. Cohen’s article does not cite Mr. Neuer once on the failings of UNESCO.
If the United States really “no longer stands firmly with freedom, democracy, decency, a free press and the rule of law,” your article—and many others like it—would never see the light of day. Have you already forgotten the example of Jamal Kashoggi so as to comically exaggerate and caricature American freedoms?
The Chinese are demonstrating—with their typical ruthlessness—how seriously they understand this matter of “rule of law.” In China, Chinese rules and Chinese rule of law, no matter how unfair they may seem to the rest of the world. That is the problem.
The United Nations should be governed by international law, not become party to an antisemitic cabal.
8
Thank you Roger for bepringing this to our attention. A few observations:
Even if the U.S. and Israel had legitimate concerns, as the new UNESCO Director acknowledged, disengagement is the wrong way to fix anything. Only “cry babies” pack their bags and go home.
As for Nikki Haley, if she were truly concerned about “corrupt and politically bias” agencies, she would direct her ire toward her former boss and the Oval Office.
But Haley has proven over and over again that she only speaks out when polictoally expedient for her, and not when a voice like hers can help save us all from the criminal con man and wreckage that is Donald Trump.
2
Even if UNESCO has supported some questionable and/biased policy, the organization has also been instrumental in identifying and disseminating information about interesting and significant examples of culture all over the world. The designation has been important for local tourism and development in many places and been instrumental in generating knowledge about non-elitist popular culture. It is embarrassing that the US could not find a way to continue to support the organization.
Perhaps the current president can find other public ways to support cultural and creative production in the United States and any other regions that he finds significant for global culture.
1
“The United States quit Unesco, the United Nations cultural organization, this month. It did not go quietly. A ‘cesspool’ Nikki Haley called it.”
Whatever the rights and wrongs of the decision, I take it as a given, that everything Ms. Haley says and does is calculated on how it will affect her future prospects for higher office. It’s how she operated as governor of South Carolina and as Trump’s handmaiden at the UN.
1
It is no surprise that Reagan was the president who pulled out of UNESCO once before. Reagan also called on the Senate to renege on the Panama Canal treaty. The Senate refused. Imagine what the geography south of the border would like now had Reagan been successful. Instead of a vibrant democracy in Panama that has the highest GDP per capita (PPP) in Latin America, Trump could have had his dream wall, one extending from Venezuela through Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, NIcaragua, Belize, the Northern Triangle countries and Mexico to the western most point of California. Had Reagan succeeded Trump could be infinitely more dangerous.
1
Mr. Cohen, you make a good point. But it takes time for deep wounds to heal.
Only two years ago, Unesco passed resolutions that explicitly denied any Jewish connection with Jerusalem. That followed decades of similar pronouncements. Racism, pure and simple.
It is not unfair to give this some time and to whether Unesco is genuinely "woke".
26
One wonders which White House adviser--or, more likely, which Fox News personality--was the "brains" behind this move and others like it.
Conversation heard at the Warsaw Ghetto: I know the Germans have been “unpleasant” with us because we are Jews, but if we just cooperate with them and their new leadership, and give them a chance, everything should work out fine.
Unfortunately, Cohen’s piece is a variation on the old aphorism, “Boy, I feel so much better now that they have stopped hitting me.” His version suggests that one should, in fact, stick around to see if they start getting hit again.
24
When Sheldon Adelson says jump, Bibi, Trump and the GOP Jump.
2
You forgot to mention the majority of the Democratic Party. They jump too.
2
@scott k. Wow, you’ve already forgotten Clinton and Obama.
1
"Israel, which marches in virtual lock step with the Trump administration, also quit Unesco this month"
I think it's more accurate to say, "The US marches in lock step with Israel." Trump...Obama...Bush...Clinton - they all adopted the same approach towards Israel. In fact, I doubt one could distinguish a democrat from a republican, when it comes to their rhetoric and 'love' for Israel.
The US has a new congress person. Let's see how long she makes it before the barrage of pro-Israel, anti-Palestinian might falls on her head.
Listen up folks: YES, the holocaust happened. YES, it's horrible. YES, Israel must exist and must be defended. NO, it must not be given license to act inhumanely because of the past. NO, the ends don't justify the means - even if we permitted it in May, '48. YES, my wish is for a solution that is amenable to both Israelis and Palestinians - which, by the way, is the only way we can save Israel in the long term.
8
Unconditional support for Israel became morally wrong when Benjamin Netanyahu rose to power. He is corrupt and sanctions crimes against humanity.
President Obama knew it, but his hands were tied when he lost his Congress majority.
When Democrats take full control of foreign policy, I hope we can take a long hard look at our abandoning of a two State solution and moving the embassy to Jerusalem, and the 38$ billion military aid package with no questions asked.
Of course, our weapons sales to the Saudis, which is enabling the killing of women and children in Yemen, needs to stop too.
2
I force myself to watch the news and to read two newspapers.
The United States, in its own way is becoming just like communist russia and now the russian kleptocracy. The endless dissemination of lies propaganda and pure fantasy are proof.
1
Perhaps the withdrawal of the US and Israel had something to do with these reforms, think?
7
Well, I've looked and frankly, I don't see any right-wing country in love with any organization who's focus is "community" or "education".
Israel is not a touchy-feely country and we have gone right into the toilet over the last couple of years.
Does Turkey still belong?
The Phillipines?
Putin's Russia?
Is Brazil still in?
Myanmar? North Korea?
Any rightie worth their salt would say that UNESCO is well rid of all of them.
Now, if only Trump could think of some way to get out of that pesky NATO.... and get more walls (because one is never enough).....
Is the United States going to survive all of this vice?
I say, no.
And Israel should have thought of that unappetizing fact a long time ago.
If this nation goes under, then they are truly up The Creek.
2
"Azoulay’s senior staff has tempered the language of Unesco resolutions on the Middle East through diplomatic mediation ...."
That's the ticket, but of course not something the Dumpster forces recognize ... with them, it's all about bilateral, my-way-or-the-highway bullying.
What an opportunity that Hebron World Heritage Site could be. Like apparently quite a few heritage sites in that part of the world, it's sacred to essentially all area cultures & religions and could be a springboard for recognizing common ground, stopping the vilification of the other, and moving in a positive direction.
UNCESCO's new direction appears to be all for just such a constructive M.O., but unfortunately, the U.S. and Israel won't be part of it -- and boy, does that speak volumes.
"The organization granted full membership to Palestine in 2011, prompting the United States and Israel to stop paying dues." So it was President Obama that started the US withdrawal from Unesco. Mr. Cohen goes on to say that; "His affinity for its mission of building world peace through cultural and scientific cooperation is as great as his affinity for reading and scholarship. That is to say nonexistent." Referring to President Trump; or is he? If it was acceptable for Obama to stop paying dues which in effect is a way of saying, "We're outta here"; after eight years why wouldn't it be acceptable for Trump to say, "I guess we'll make it official and divorce"? We know the answer to that one.
10
Everything is not about Israel. UNESCO was a paradigm of bureaucratic inefficiency, hierarchical termism (political appointments of incompetents with nowhere else to go), opportunism and coasting... a place where the greatest fear was to offend your immediate superior and lose the cushy job and its benefits.
What UNESCO (and most of the UN) needs is a review of its productivity and efficiency by unbiased outside auditors.
8
I believe many people share a problem -- there is abhorrence for Netanyahu and the present government of Israel, a mixture of sympathy and a recognition that poor leadership has played a major role in the plight of ordinary Palestinians, and confusion on how to express our disgust and not betray our love for the Israeli people. The Unesco situation is a symptom of this underlying disease.
3
@SDG
Maybe the best way to address all of these issues is for the US to make the Clinton Parameters its official policy for a peace agreement. Everyone would then be on notice.
1
Israel just can’t win. Far too many people, including many past commentators here, believe that Israel controls US foreign policy, that is when it is not “hypnotizing” the entire world - as Minnesota’s new congresswoman Ilhan Omar informs us. Now Cohen tells us that Israel - instead - blindly follows a US Administration he loathes.
As to UNESCO, the deck has been, is and will be stacked against Israel. Talk of unspecified progress and mediation is farcical. The same hope for reform argument was made for another UN body from which the US withdrew: the one supposedly dealing with human rights. If anything, its “reformed” version is even worse. Why anyone would expect a different result from UNESCO is unclear.
However, as seeing is believing, UNESCO could start to show its seriousness by immediately withdrawing membership from those “countries” that fail to meet the standards for qualifying as “states” under the Montevideo Convention of 1933. Until then, UNESCO will remain hopelessly politicized and yet another example of a valuable idea sacrificed on the altar of Palestinianism and Jew hatred, all to the world’s detriment.
8
Psst. Someone should point out to Mr. Trump that the U.S.'s decision to stop paying Unesco funds was an act of the Obama administration. Now, Mr. Trump doesn't want to continue anything initiated by Mr. Obama, does he?
This column would have more impact if Mr. Cohen had condemned Unesco while they were passing one racist, anti-semetic, anti-Israel resolution after another. If only the author were to display a fraction of the outrage he showed with Trump moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem with the UN as he did when the Unesco passed a resolution declaring Jerusalem a Christian and Muslim Heritage site, ignoring Jewish ties to the city (and ignoring the New and the Old Testaments).
I dislike pretty much everything Trump does, but don't tell me that the anti-Israel obsessives, led by the 57 member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are 'about to reform'. It's too late for that. If the good work of Unesco gets lost because hating Israel is the UN's first move, blame the OIC, not the Israelis, or even Trump.
11
"Under Audrey Azoulay, the director general who took up her post after Trump announced the decision to leave,..."
So all these changes took place only after the US announced it was leaving and a new director was appointed?
And the US is at fault? I'm struggling to see how.
9
During her first inaugural speech as governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley singled out the South Carolina Arts Commission to be eliminated, citing it as an example of governmental waste and triviality. Despite its minuscule budget, she kept pushing for its elimination during her first term in office, but thankfully South Carolina has a strong arts tradition supported by Republicans and Democrats alike.
It is no surprise the Ms. Haley wanted the United States to leave UNESCO. Beyond any alleged corruption or bias in the agency, Haley previously demonstrated she is no friend to the arts, culture, or humanities. Such organizations do not promote the narrow conservative, business-centric vision she sees. As a citizen of South Carolina, I suggest we all keep this in mind when (not if) Ms. Haley once again runs for public office.
3
Thank you for this article. My father, a public television executive and founder, worked for Unesco throughout his career assisting countries everywhere from Japan to Africa to develop public broadcasting. The stories I've heard only testify to Unesco serving as an agency to actually dispel prejudice against American imperialism and promote goodwill.
1
@David: Yep, that sounds like what UNESCO used to be.
2
Nikki Haley was unrestrained in her comments throughout her ambassadorship, not just at the end, all of them disparaging many countries, many parts of the UN and many treaties of the UN. She parroted John Bolton when she was speaking at a university event, saying that she loathed the UN. This is no irony, in that she got tons of much-desired, mostly favorable media attention during her ambassadorship and a free apartment overlooking the East River, where her parents lived with her as well. Now she is complaining on her Twitter account that she can't master Uber.
1
Agreed. Although she did show restraint when it came to speaking out about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by our “ally” Saudi Arabia.
When Nikki Haley runs for higher office, we should all remember that her silence on all the atrocities Saudi Arabia committed was deafening.
Do you have it backwards, in that Trump's international policy is an echo of Netanyahu's?
2
@Frank
Bravo Frank. My thoughts exactly.
Given Nikki Haley was part of the Trump Administration, she know's a thing or two about corruption. But it obviously did not prevent her from joining the Trump Administration in the first place. Her leaving is to give her time to prepare for a run for President, as has been apparent from the beginning of her tenure as Ambassador to the U.N. She has no right to cast aspersions on Unesco. The "cesspool" of the Trump Administration includes her.
Every step along the way she defended Trump's various policies.
That said, it sounds as if Unesco is cleaning up their act under the leadership of Azoulay. If Israel and the U.S. were smart they would cool their heels an see what happens before they make these decisions. Unesco is a fine idea, that has lost its way . Let's give Azouley the time she needs to clean up the mess. She is making a goo first effort.
5
@Jean
And given that Ms. Haley was part of the Trump administration, it's safe to assume that she also knows a thing or two about "cesspools".
2
Cohen's main objection to the pullout seems to be that Israel is "in lockstep" with the Trump administration. He says this several times and it appears to be the rationale for his criticism .
Has Cohen ever considered that both the U.S. and Israel are separately doing what they believe to be best for their respective nations? Israel is not obliged to go along with what the U.S. wants, and indeed has been strongly opposed to some U.S. actions in the past. Neither is the U.S. controlled by Israel, despite what some anti-semities might think.
I am definitely NOT a Trump supporter (need to say that 'cause it's the NY Times and will otherwise be pilloried), but I don't see him forcing Israel to do anything that she does not believe is in her best interests.
And if UNESCO wants to change its history of anti-Israel bias it can and should continue to do so whether Israel and the U.S. are members or not. Once the U.S. and/or Israel sees that UNESCO is serious, they will return in time.
10
A good article. Too bad it misrepresents the designation in Hebron. Maybe the author also has biases to deal with.
2
@Peter Schaeffer, that's an important point. Details?
"It takes the Navy three years to build a ship. It will take three hundred years to build a new tradition."
- Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, during the Battle of Crete
Never forget why the UN was created. We owe it to our children to pass the world peace we have enjoyed to them, and it starts with appreciating things like UNESCO.
6
Remember Haley's opening remarks to her colleagues at the UN when she told them she would be "taking names" of those members who dared to disagree with the United States. Calling UNESCO as cesspool is right up her alley.
The UN was never intended to be an international government or and institution subservient to one country. Its mission is to promote peace and the advancement of living standards in all nations. It may not always hit the target and reform is appropriate, especially in regard to the way powerful nations assert their privilege.
The United States one of the founders of the UN should set a standard of cooperation not behave as a nationalist scold, wagging its finger at its critics.
2
@Marvin Raps
The UN is blatantly biased against Israel.
For example, the UN criticized only one country for its treatment of women. It was not Saudi Arabia where women were not allowed to drive. It was not Egypt or Iraq or Yemen where girls suffer from female genital mutilation. It was not Palestine or Jordan or Iran where women are subjected to honor killings. It was Israel – a country that has had a female prime minister & female fighter pilots.
The 10 worst countries for human rights are: Syria, Sudan, DR Congo, Pakistan, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar, Yemen & Nigeria. So why are there more UN Resolutions against Israel than against the 10 worst countries combined?
There is no boycott of China even though China invaded Tibet & transferred millions of Chinese settlers into Tibet.
There is no boycott of Turkey even though Turkey occupies part of Cyprus and Turkish settlers have moved into occupied Cyprus.
There is no boycott of Morocco which occupies part of Western Sahara.
Unlike China, Turkey and Morocco, the Israel's occupation began because Israel was attacked. Also, unlike China, Turkey and Morocco, Israel offered to end the occupation if Palestinians would sign a peace treaty.
8
Maybe what should have happened and didn't was for Unesco to ask the U.S. and Israel to leave or take a sabbatical for about two years. By then we would hopefully be rid of the predident and all his minions and Israel, (even under Netanyahu who flaunts his backbone except when it comes to our current president) would flock back to Unesco and certainly any successor to the president would rejoin.
Keep an eye and a open mind on Audrey Azoulay, the new director.....funny how we depend so much on women to clean up the mess men make....what say you Nikki Haley about that.
2
The conflation between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism is not the invention of Unesco but of doctrinaire Zionism, Israeli and American. Unesco was created as an arm of the United Nations committed to protect the human heritage and values of humanism, science, arts, knowledge, understanding that build bridges among peoples. The protection of Truth is fundamental to its mission as is the recognition that international justice must be based on understanding and respect among nations. Needless to say Trump and Netanyahu are the tragic denials of Unesco's mission. Again, thank you NYT for this Roger Cohen column.
6
We must wait until the likes of Netanyahu and Trump either get kicked out or lose an election. Both are bad for the world no less than for their own countries.
5
It is not a "petulant" decision, it is a reasonable one, motivated by a need to protest the world's apathy towards Arab and Muslim governments who wish to the Jewish connection to the Holy Land. There are cries of "Judaization", an historical anti-semitic trope, when in fact the Holy Land has been Islamicized and Christianized for centuries. It is easy to understand why the non-Jewish western religions have played this up, as it has been that way since the Romans exiled the Jews from the Fertile Crescent, and it is currently a political move to de-legitimize the existence of a Jewish state in the Holy land. But UNESCO and the UN should be ashamed for not confronting its membership on this topic. And columnists like Roger Cohen should not be blaming the victim for "petulance."
12
There is no scientific evidence that Abraham and Sarah ever existed to be buried anywhere.
4
UNESCO has been used as a political bludgeon for decades. The US was right to leave. Let's give it 5 years to see if the supposed reform sticks, or if it was a series of gestures designed to placate, rather than real reform. UNESCO was a cesspool long before Trump administration.
9
so corrupt, so biased. Have you looked at the human rights committee members at the UN for example? The sad, tragic irony of the self-serving dictators that serve and manipulate the UN. Bravo, for those standing against the UN long term useless silliness.
10
There are two elements to consider for any return to UNESCO. First the case for continued progress in political reforms; second the case for management reforms.
The United Nations is a forum for communication. Inclusiveness is a necessity. We need nations to meet face-to-face to discuss differences and commonalities. We can all see how easy it is to lie on social media as well as photoshop videos. Perhaps the issue is with the level of statesmanship? I have been unimpressed with the US UN Ambassador appointees after Madeleine Albright.
Yet the greater concern about rejoining UNESCO is the corrupt management that the top donors seem impotent to get under control. ALL nations, including the USA, use UNESCO, FAO and other large UN agencies as plum jobs for friends. UNESCO had great hopes for the US director of Education s few years ago. He was highly competent, then decided (with top management approval) to issue sole source contracts to a friend's consulting firm that added up to over $1m in little over one year. He left quickly and quietly only because of how high the corruption around his decisions reached.
The administrative staff in UNESCO has some good staff, but they are undermined by the politics of back scratching as well as by support staff (professional and general service) who cannot be fired and who are rewarded for closing one eye.
Perhaps the answer - and the question - is to break up these behemoths. Establish clear mandates and hold them accountable.
4
Given UNESCO's past, it requires more than a few kind words and a Holocaust conference for us to stay. The proof is in the pudding, so let's see what UNESCO does; if it really has reformed, I'm all for returning to it (and paying the arears).
10
All these comments criticising UNESCO for criticising Israel...
perhaps if Israel behaves more humanly towards Palestinians the world might change its mind. As I´ve written many times before total disagreement from the NYT, the world is not the USA and Israel, the real world outside are not blind at the inhuman treatment of Palestinians by the Israeli authorities .
You want less antisemitism, well behave accordingly.
8
@AGC
Another (and perhaps even larger) part of the problem is all too often if one criticizes Israel's politics, one is immediately construed to be anti-Semitic -- and curiously enough something similar occurs here when one is accused of being "unpatriotic" or anti-American should they speak out against Donald Trump.
3
@AGC
I am amazed at how good Israel is to the Palestinians. Israel delivers hundreds of truckloads of food & supplies to Gaza every day even though Gazans persecuted Jews for centuries & have fired thousands of rockets & mortars at innocent Israeli civilians. Israeli doctors treated 180,000 Palestinians last year. Israel even treats members of Hamas in Israeli hospitals.
4
@m1945
Israel is "good" to the Palestinians?
What about the increasing land grabs for Settlements, the constant road blocks, the compromised food and water supply.
You probably couldn't last one month being forced to live like that -- besides that, not all Palestinians are Hamas and neither side is any safer.
Lets all pretend that 911 never happened, close our eyes and return to our happy place, 1968, when we were young and free to roam the world created by US the #1 superpower!!
Put on that John Lennon album one more time...........for old times sake. "Imagine there are no borders............."
1
About 5 years too late.
1
America's ignorant, philistine President can ruin things for America all he wants if that's who Americans want in the White House but the rest of the world should not have to suffer the fool.
1
I'd rather we spent $600 million on our National Parks,
8
As an American academic who did occasional research at the UNESCO HQ in Paris I recall in the days prior to the Reagan Administration pull-out that the staff couldn't be bothered to give me the time of day. But after the pull-out I was welcomed as a long lost brother.
8
The US,should give;nothing-to the corrupt United Nations.
9
@Jackson
WE'RE the experts in what Mr. Cohen rightly refers to as "moral depravity" -- Trump and his thoroughly corrupt and incompetent "Administration" are more than enough proof -- so yes, let's instruct the rest of the world.
1
Mr. Cohen duly lists all the unbridled transgression of UNESCO in relation to Israel and the Jews, and then complains that Israel quit. Why? Because that was what Trump did.
6
The US return to UNESCO? Without permission from Bibi, or at least Sheldon Adelson? (But have you ever seen them both at the same time? Hmmmmm.)
Unthinkable!
5
The Cave of Patriarchs is a Palestinian UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just like Hadrians Wall is a British World Heritage Site. Does it matter that the Romans built Hadrians wall? The wall is in the UK. Its British, not Italian. The Cave of Patriarchs is in Palestine. Its Palestinian.
2
UNESCO is obsolete. With the internet bringing video conferencing, websites, and Youtube, a bloated bureaucracy where people physically meet is no longer needed.
At best an online Facebook for Education, Science, and Culture Organization could exist. Certainly the new online version of UNESCO can keep up with anti Israel posts.
8
More dreck from Cohen. But since typical if the Left."a United States government that no longer stands firmly with freedom, democracy, decency, a free press and the rule of law.". Sounds wonderful to the progressive ear but never substantiated. Can Mr. Cohen point to a single action Mr. Trump has taken against a free press, a single time his Administration has violated a Federal court order, etc ? Just a lot of fear mongering. As for UNESCO - yes, let's support them because of quilting in Paducah after years and years of rabid anti- Semitism.
14
@Bob
Guess you've forgotten about Trump throwing a reporter out of the White House, having the fewest Press Conferences of all time, and constantly tweeting against the "witch-hunt-fake-news" media, while glorifying Breitbart and FOX -- all of which amounts to taking action against the free press.
6
@Bob
Calling the free press The Enemy of the People doesn't do it for you?
Guess we know where you stand.
5
@N. Smith
Trump may have banned a reporter but not the news organization that could've replaced him... And "reporter" was "thrown out" for lecturing and rightfully so... since he's a there to report not lecture... he was free to write whatever lecture you'd love to read from him... That's the freedom of press...
2 years of fruitless investigations... plz, don't even start with convictions of marginal people on unrelated issues... when does it start to be a witch hunt? And, as much as I don't care or watch or read Breit or Fox... you're the one(ironically) denying them being legitimate sources of information... Glorifying or denouncing is no where near denying freedom of press... well maybe in very ideologically focused... :))
1
"A “cesspool,” Nikki Haley called it. “Unesco is among the most corrupt and politically biased UN agencies,” she tweeted."
No one associated with the Trump administration has any credibility to call anything a "cesspool" because Trump has established the "most corrupt and politically biased" American government ever.
The irony.
148
@Mimi
UNESCO may have its problems but when it comes to slithering in a cesspool of corruption, lies and incompetence, UNESCO can't hold a candle to the administration that Haley worked for. No one who has served in the Trump administration can escape what it has wrought -- the moral decline of the United States and the diminished respect that the rest of the world has for a country which once served as a beacon of hope for the world. So, before casting aspersions on UNESCO and other international organizations, I would urge Halley to assess her own role in promoting the incivility and chaos that has come to characterize global affairs over the past two years.
12
@MimiPot calling the kettle black!
4
@Mimi Trump replaced the swamp of D.C. with a cesspool. At least swamps have certain natural benefits.
4
Haley's words were too kind. Why should the US continue to underwrite anti-Semitic hate groups like UNESCO whether or not they have made some modest changes on the margins. This is true of most of the UN which is largely a waste of prime East River real estate. They regularly put despotic nations on human rights commissions and can never find any country worthy of condemnation exception Israel though one would think that China, Myanmar, Syria,Yemen, North Korea, etc, would provide ample fodder. I realize for people like Cohen hope springs eternal but when it comes to the UN they are Charlie Brown hoping Lucy won't pull away the football this time.
71
@Todd
You must have missed the part of the article which said the US owes 600 millions dollars to Unesco. It does not sound like we did much underwriting.
I agree with you that we should never underwrite any anti-Semitic or other discriminatory groups. But that would also mean we would have very few Republicans in office.
24
@Jean
Touché. The point of belonging to a group is to work within the group to make necessary changes, as the new UNESCO director-general, Audrey Azoulay, seems to be doing rather than pout, stamp your feet, make accusations, pick up your marbles and go home.
But the Trump Administration was never much for culture anyway. I doubt he'd know a Monet from an Manet. -- thegamesmenplay.com
9
@Jean I did not miss it and it is less than six years of dues. Before we left over these issues we were their biggest contributor. I don't accept your premise about Republicans and since your are going there newly elected Democratic congress women Ilhan Omar appears to be the most openly anti-semitic person elected in decades.
13
Dear Mr. Cohen,
You've left out a vital fact: It is currently against U..S. law (22 USC 287e as amended by PL 101-246) for the U.S. government to support United Nations agencies which grant Palestine membership status. A return to UNESCO will require an act of Congress.
6
This column, and many comments, are centered on the Middle East.
What has Unesco done for Tibetans and Uighurs lately?
13
Not only Unesco, Roger. The U.S. should return to the TPP, the Paris climate accord, NATO, the EU, the WTO and the negotiating table with Iran. What we should quit are Trump's alliances with Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Russia and any other pariah state that violates human rights, steals occupied Palestinian land or murders its critics.
96
@Christy
The Jenin refugee camp, the operational center of the Palestinian terror network and “the martyrs’ capital” according to the Palestinians themselves, was a major objective of the operation. Israeli soldiers entered the camp on April 1, 2002, to engage in close combat with Palestinian fighters. As news emerged of the fierce battle, Palestinian officials immediately claimed that Israel had committed a “massacre” in Jenin.
The reality was very different. Israeli, Palestinian, and even UN officials would ultimately confirm that fifty-two Palestinians had died in Jenin, almost all of them combatants. Twenty-three Israeli soldiers were also killed. The unusually low civilian death toll for a battle in a densely populated urban area was the result of Israeli ground forces engaging in highly perilous house-to-house combat, exposing soldiers to ambush and booby traps, while the use of air power or artillery was avoided.
5
Seeing as this president has no sense of history, no apparent appreciation for art and science, and a tendency to destroy anything he doesn't understand, it's not surprising that his one-track mind would pull this country out of a cultural organization like Unesco just to satisfy his need to catapult the U.S. into further isolation.
57
UNESCO has been a truly antisemitic organziation to its core. There are so many examples it would take a book or two to describe them. I am glad they are trying to clean house and do better. But the right response to all this corruption and antisemitisim is to take the principled stand and withdraw from UNESCO. The US can reverse itself if we see evidence of genuine change.
As for Israel, I suspect it didnt want to withdraw, but given all their enemies and few protectors they cant take the risk of alienating Trump.
6
It's not clear why the cave of the patriarchs should not be considered to form part of world heritage.
1
There are always people who convince themselves, in broken relationships, that the promise "But, Honey, I promise that I'm going to change" will actually result in changed behavior.
It's usually a sucker play and the intelligent response would be "Well, SHOW that you've changed first - saying it and doing it are different. But, until then, see ya'. I'll check back in a year."
Mr. Cohen believes in the PROMISE ME, not SHOW ME approach - which is his right. But he should give some credit to the SHOW ME FIRST school of thought.
13
UNESCO is now a political tool and it hasn't reformed either. All one needs to do is look at its action history ie: what it does. The oldest peoples and cultures on the planet are the Chinese and the Jews in Israel. Second place is not close. Look at the Chinese calendars and as well as the Jewish ones. When it comes to world heritage, these are major places of historical interest and recognition. UNESCO is just a tool to de-legitimize Israel historically, by taking away recognition of Jewish holy sites despite near daily validating archaeological fact. It doesn't do much else. Sure a few remaining rational members pledge reform, but in the end, the organization is controlled by anti-Israeli states. Period. Our money to the UN is far too much and a near total waste as well. We should pay our basic membership dues only ( higher than everyone else's as well) and put the 3-4 billion a year in savings into our Medicaid program to support our own nations health. UNESCO is useless, ridiculous, and absent of non-political action.
I am tired of our country and our dollars being taken by a ride by organizations that don't share our values or our interests. We were right to pull out first and Israel, our loyal and highly valued ally, and home to 200,000 voting American citizens, was right to follow.
15
@Mark Judaism is about 3000 years old. The jewish calendar supposedly counts back to the day the world was created and was was invented about 1500 years ago.
1
What makes no sense is to,pour money into a corrupt organization. Move its headquarters to a third world country and see how many delegates attend.
9
The UN walls displays the words of the prophet Isaiah "Nation shall not lift sword upon nation..." Walk across the street and up the Natan Sharansky steps into Tudor City and then stroll down to Yitzhak Rabin Way on Second Avenue. Shame that an institution that owes its founding in part to Jewish ideals degenerated into an anti-Jewish institution with persistent and odious bias against Israel. Mr. Cohen and others did not speak out against UNESCO earlier. It is reasonable now to require a "reformation" before rejoining.
53
@Daniel Coultoff
Finally Roger breaks his silence about UNESCO. Where was Roger 10 years ago, 5 years ago, even 1 year ago when the cesspool that was UNESCO smell must have reached roger's nose
6
On this I disagree with Mr. Cohen.
The US should not only leave UNESCO, but UN as well. United Nations Organization is a helpless child of the League of Nations. The Vienna Congress in 1814-15 has accomplished more that the two aforementioned organizations.
And not to forget, the UN role in the Korean War of 1950-53 was nothing but the US spearheading the democratic world's defense against communism.
6
Thank you for this Mr. Cohen. The United States under Trump does act petulant and as though we are somehow superior and above reproach and even handed in our actions and foreign relations vis a vis Israel. We have supported 52 years of occupation of a people about whom Israel has denied existence never mind their right to self determination never mind their treatment under a suppressive military. Would this act by UNESCO regarding the cave of the Patriarchs have happened had the whole situation been resolved? It does seem a political statement by UNESCO members. The US leaving along with Israel is also part of the ongoing war by any means at hand including using the UN.
1
@Potter
Every time Israel offers to end the occupation, the Palestinians say “No!”
Even Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia (certainly not a Zionist) said that Arafat’s refusal to accept the January 2001 offer was a crime. Thousands of people would die because of Arafat’s decision & not one of those deaths could be justified.
As Clinton later wrote in his memoir:
It was historic: an Israeli government had said that to get peace, there would be a Palestinian state in roughly 97 percent of the West Bank, counting the [land] swap, and all of Gaza, where Israel also had settlements. The ball was in Arafat’s court.
But Arafat would not, or could not, bring an end to the conflict. “I still didn’t believe Arafat would make such a colossal mistake,” Clinton wrote. “The deal was so good I couldn’t believe anyone would be foolish enough to let it go.” But the moment slipped away. “Arafat never said no; he just couldn’t bring himself to say yes.”
2
Preservation of values is only possible if one has the strength to take a stand to defend them. The impotent approach advocated by Cohen will not affect permanent change.
5
These goals are worthy, but when a body of the UN has demonstrated selected religious bias through its members' policies then it is failing in its mission.
Too little, too late.
Let the organization truly reform and then the U.S. and Israel should consider joining. (There's no reason that UNESCO should not continue on its current path of reform, right?)
(This is not a Trump-issue, but one where the U.S. and Israel had kept its/their membership for too long).
17
UNESCO, the Paris climate accords, the Transpacific trade agreement, the Iranian treaty. The list goes on and on of the organizations Trump has withdrawn from. The question is why? Is it really some strategy to make America great again or is it evidence of Trump’s sociophobia. I think the latter. If you look at his business he surrounded himself with family and a few staff he could control, like Michael Cohen. His social life revolves around country clubs that he owns and controls. He has now isolated himself in the west wing as it were his rooms in Trump tower. Logical arguments will not change this. Maybe a good psychiatrist might have a chance.
11
The US will not support any organization that believes in tolerance and peace.
5
3 Words: "Oil-for-Food" Koffie Annan and the UN showed precisely the extent of corruption, malfeasance and ineptitude that are the true colors of this failed institution. The U.S. has been right to withhold its dues to UNESCO, and for that matter, the UN headquarters itself. History speaks for itself - quite loudly in this case. UNESCO needs to build credibility with genuine action - not merely a few texts drawn by diplomats who are seeking more than anything else: funding through membership.
14
Unesco, where 2nd rate scholars meet 3rd rate politicians, is a 1st rate international tourism agency, bestowing its Good House Keeping Tourism Seal of Approval, as it were, across the world, designating "world heritage sites" like "Paris, banks of the Seine" and "intangible cultural heritage" like "gastronomic meal of the French".
And the US should rejoin and pay $600 million for this?
Let the Arab States, rich in American subsidies and cartel oil price gouging, build one less chateau in the desert and pick up the tab.
Let France, in arrears of its own on its NATO bill, pick up the tab.
Let all those cities benefitting from being designated a world heritage site, charge tourists a tax to pay for the tab.
The next time you're in Paris enjoying a fine gastronomic meal overlooking the banks of the Seine, think nice thoughts of Unesco.
21
@Yellow Moon Profile Picture - Amen.
Having worked with many of these buffoons both at UNESCO and their sister institution, the OECD, you hit the nail on the head. 2nd rate, I'd even say 3rd rate 'academics' wandering around thinking deep thoughts and coming up with ideas to 'make the world a better place' while having zero actual impact. The internal politics at both institutions put the Trump administration to shame. All while our taxes pay for it... Good riddance.
10
@Yellow Moon Profile Picture. Thank you for your attempt to distort the Unesco World Heritage Sites with a dishonest cherry pick. The "Paris, banks of the Seine" entry is about the built architectural and engineering features of the portion of the city immediately abutting the Seine. No idea where you found your "gastronomic meal of the French" but if it's on there somewhere I can bet you're putting a false light on it as you did with "Paris, banks of the Seine."
I recommend readers visit whc.unesco.org and explore its list of heritage sites and judge for themselves.
1
What reform?
UNESCO continues to represent the same misguided point of view it has always followed.
17
I am trying hard to agree with your point but it's so difficult. I am with you on this in 1984 when we decided to leave UNESCO during Reagan Administration. I thought it was a mistake. But I doubt my own thinking now.
Reasons: I am originally from Sri Lanka and have witnessed first hand the utter corruption of UNESCO. I have seen first hand how nepotism works there (like many UN agencies). Positions are filled with who you know and resources are used to fund luxurious lifestyles of those who work there while major works are grossly neglected. Now, as a US citizen whose tax dollars goes to fund this, I no longer want to be part of this corrupt to the core agency. This is the only time I agree with Nikki Haley.
22
If we were to compare how much USA spends on global & intercultural relations versus what we spend on the military industrial complex....well, I think you see my point: We spend where our values are.
11
UNESCO has an important mission - many people in the comments section are complaining they have no idea what it is, so here you go: https://en.unesco.org/about-us/introducing-unesco
There is too much demonization of the UN in the United States right now (to put it mildly). UNESCO is very important for designating which cities, ruins, monuments, and even cultural practices are worth saving and cherishing, around the world. It may not be perfect but it has an important and needed mission.
Please don't let propaganda tell you not to support UNESCO. To cheer it's demise would be to promote ignorance - another kind of "wall" Trump & Co. are trying to build.
39
@JS27 Agreed. As a science educator and world traveler, working for UNESCO is my fantasy job.
2
Unesco was created to promote understanding between nations and people through education, science and culture. Since these goals are meaningless to the US as it is only interested in "getting it's moneys' worth" and Israel demands understanding but refuses to understand others, it is better they stay away and let the rest of the world get on with it.
10
@Hames. And let the rest of the world pay for it. Let me know who contributes the most to this meaningless organization.
5
This article awakens the old question of whether it is better to join an organization largely biased against your group in order to change it from the inside or to leave it because its members harbor seemingly ineradicable bias against your group--so what's the point of being there and becoming an object of derision. In the past the large number of Arab and Islamic states in UNESCO were unified in picking on and bullying Israel. Israelis could feel the sting of unfair and excessive criticism for actions that seemed much less evil than what was found in the states of the critics. Slowly now there seems to be some kind of change brewing. We note that the Saudis have begun to accept the possibility of accepting Israel. And that Egypt and Jordan have accepted Israel's place in the Middle East. Perhaps the time has come to return to full membership in UNESCO while insisting on continuing improvements and fairness in UNESCO's treatment of Israel. We do know, however, that Trump does not welcome alliances that involve many nations and instead wishes to focus on limited bilateral agreements--where he can show his deal-making talent to get the best agreement for America. So far Trump's approach has not been too successful, but the U.S. under Trump will not seek renewed membership in UNESCO---and Israel would be reluctant to do so if Trump does not.
6
I lived in Paris while my wife worked for UNESCO in 2007-2009, listening often to her stories of U.S obstructionism. UNESCO has discovered what many international organizations are beginning now to experience: you can accomplish more when the U.S. is NOT a member.
33
@john. Then go without the US . Let me know how the funding goes.
8
@john m Do let us know what they have accomplished.
6
@john
Citation Needed.
1
I hope a number of other countries led by China and Russia step forward to cover the American share of the UNESCO budget and UNESCO resolves the United States no longer merits a place in its discussions. No return after the current temper tantrum cools down. UNESCO has a meritorious, if uneven, record of facilitating cross-national collaboration in arenas of science and culture. Among other things it helps legitimize English as the dominant language in science, assuring American scientists easy access to knowledge production and dissemination around the world. What would happen over time if American scientists, notorious as monolinguals, were to find English moving from its place of primacy to just one of several languages used. Your average European scientist is able to work in 3 or 4 languages, your American scientist only in English. I recently observed Mexican and Chinese scientists work out and international agreement in English because it was their common language, and orders for American scientific equipment followed. What happens if German, French, or some other language begins to displace English? If Russian or Japanese? American subservience to Israel turns its disputes with other countries into an enormous millstone around our necks not only militarily but in other critical arenas. We needed to use our global influence for global good but allowed others to use it for aggressive purposes. Perhaps UNESCO will be better off without our self-absorption and self-pity.
14
@usa999
UNESCO is assisting in cultural genocide of the Jews. I had heard from my guide in Israel that Masada is a UNESCO heritage site, but NOT because of its Jewish history. The Palestinians are aiding and abetting in this crime and conspiracy. UNESCO is useless unless it is truly reformed, and that won't happen until corrupt entities such as Russia, Syria, Iran and others with similar personal agendas are removed, and by force if necessary. Finally that means that the pro-Palestinian designations are firmly and completely reversed and rejected.
8
I think it is significant that the changes began ONLY after Trump announced the decision to leave. Not a threat a decision that followed years of objections and lessor actions. Clearly the decision was the right one and we are right to follow through. Complaining from the inside did nothing.
Now it is UNESCO’s place, if they desire US membership, to follow through with reform and come to the US at a future date with a demonstrated record of an organization that we find congenial to our values and our interests.
52
What benefit would our participation do for US citizens? Some puny tourism? I read it costs hundreds of millions of dollars, so how can anybody think it is worth that?
20
@vulcanalex
Of course...why would Americans think of anything beyond themselves and their walled in borders?
America Alone.
7
@vulcanalex "The organization granted full membership to Palestine in 2011, prompting the United States and Israel to stop paying dues. By the time it left, the United States had around $600 million in arrears."
@Rob
And why wouldn't we?
If having common sense is not the rest of the world's acumen, it shouldn't be ours either? Paying for something that hurts us and our ally would be unscrupulous if not stupid...
If an international organization was to be anti-French... would France continue to spend their money and would want us as a good friend support that organization...? How's that optics from Paris? ;))
1
I'm, no diplomat or relationship counselor, but it seems to me that people can neither get along or learn to get along if they do not talk to each other. I'd like to see situations where disagreements were settled by one party just walking away. Doesn't happen.
International diplomacy is not a real estate deal where the seller can walk away in hopes of a better offer. Not participating can never lead to participation. You just can't get there from here.
Trump hates the UN and everything related to the UN. He hates multilateral anything. This is another example. I hate. I don't pay. I walk away.
Certainly, UNESCO has done some really terrible things as pointed out by Mr. Cohen. But if they are making serious progress at reforms, then this is not the time to walk away. The wise thing to do is to give them some time to clean some things up and we can all move forward.
But conservatives don't do that. They divide the world into yes/no, good/bad, up/down, categories with no overlap or compromise. UNESCO is bad, pull the plug and walk away.
This is classic Trump behavior. He wanted to do the same thing to NATO. He still wants to pull the plug on the UN.
Trump creates barriers. He isolates. He tears up relationships in order to get what he wants. Except he doesn't know what he wants.
It is much easier to tear a building down than build one. A house can be torn down in a day. It can take a year to build a new one. Trump can only tear down, not rebuild.
78
@Bruce Rozenblit
Here is the thing: we don't need UNESCO. What does it do for the US?
3
@QED
A different viewpoint: does UNESCO need the US? "Ask not what your country can do for you . . ."
2
@QED I have no children. What do school taxes do for me? (Hint: prepare the future I want to live in.)
3
What does UNESCO stand for? Must I look it up? I've forgotten what it stands for. Aren't newspapers still supposed to provide titles in full before abbreviating them?
Very frustrating.
10
Based on “the Economist “ style guide, the article should have defined what UNESCO stood for after its first usage. Unless the name was so common it was abundantly clear what it stood for (for example UN) I think this article failed the test but it should be common knowledge UNESCO is the UN’s cultural and world heritage division.
1
@janet United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
2
UNESCO has had 20 years to get its act together...there is no better argument to leave this bloated globalist UN bureaucracy than that.
58
Unesco, the United Nations' entity charged with promoting multi-ethnic culture, has had problems in the past, but it's spread to prevent anti-semitism now has met with deaf ears from the binomium Israel-U.S., and withdrawing their support at a crucial moment of reflection. Their leaving is shortsighted, as the best way to reform it is from within. Although their joining again may be in the cards, do not expect any re-consideration from the current vulgar bully in-chief, unable to find compromise in diplomacy a palatable option...as 'divide to conquer' is his calling.
3
I must admit to a high level of ignorance about UNESCO, its mission and its history.
6
@Steve it's mission is basically to denote worldwide cultural heritage sites. Like the UN at large, it has been hijacked by Palestinianism, so it now denotes Judaic heritage sites, such as the Tomb of the Matriarchs and Patriarchs, as "Palestinian" heritage sites, irrespective of the fact that the Tomb and Judaism both predate Isalm, to say nothing of "Palestinians".
9
Using the words UN and moral in the same statement is at best ..........questionable. Look at the UN Human rights council which includes such exemplars has Egypt, Saudi Arabia and China. Not much of an example of Human rights there? How many times have we heard the song and dance about UN reforms that never happen! And the language of Antisemitism hasn't stopped or been removed it has merely been relegated to nonbinding annexes. Not much of a "Reform".
As for the dues? The US pays, has of 2017, 22% of the UN's budget. I think that's more then enough for the UN. The US hardly has 22% of the worlds GDP let some other nations step up.
Has for the cesspool accusation I couldn't say. The corruption is however pretty definite. Frankly the UN's pretty not particularly amenable to reform. There have been how many corruption cases in the last 20 years? Some worth over billion.
Furthermore to be fair (And I don't like Trump) it was the Obama administration that ceased paying dues.
Truthfully, Outside of WHO and a (small) handful of sub-organizations, the UN is pretty dysfunctional corrupt and incompetent. And anyone believes the UN stands firmly with Freedom, Democracy or the rule of law ? Look at it's track record or just the members of the "Human Rights" Council.
42
I'm proud to be from the the only UNESCO World Heritage City in the U.S., even if no one else thinks much of the designation.
44
@S.C. We've got three sites in New Mexico, and believe me, people visit from all over.
6
Neither Trump nor Bibi will reconsider their decisions to withdraw from Unesco. Jared and Ivanka probably pressured Trump into this action, and Israel dutifully followed. Nothing will change until Trump is no longer president. Consider republishing this column two (or perhaps six years) from now. In the meantime, your efforts would be better spent working to convince other nations to remain with this refurbished Unesco.
9
The U.S. has remained with Unesco in name only while not paying its fair share of dues. Now Unesco is trying to improve itself, particularly by treating Israel more fairly. So why would the U.S. and Israel now withdraw? Israel follows the U.S. And the U.S. is led by Trump. Trump doesn’t want to be a part of a rehabilitated Unesco because then he would be pressured to pay up. Trump doesn’t want to pay. He stiffs everyone, remember?
12
@Blue Moon: I think without intending to, you hit the nail on the head when you say UNESCO is trying to treat Israel "more fairly". Why not just treat it "fairly" ?
19
@Blue Moon Like Pakistan? Saving that 300 million per year was clearly a right decision. We need to spend less money and UNESCO Is low hanging fruit.
3
It is not the first time the US, and many other nations have left the UNESCO for a good reason.
1974 reduced contributions because of the acknowledgement of the PLO.
1985 to 2003 resignation because of corruption and patronage, especially by Madou-Mahtar M'Bow, a muslim, who redirected the money to arab nations ( among other things to build mosques ).
Flora Lewis wrote an article about the nepotism of the UNESCO in the NYT, you find it here
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/01/opinion/foreign-affairs-airing-unesco-s-closets.html
Actually many of the accusations are neither new, nor are they are they solely raised by the US. We really should ponder, if we could do a better job by a better funding of national organisation for international heritage conservation. Honestly, i rather prefer our appraisement what to conserve and how to do it than putting this in the hands of some dubious politicians.
29
@Mathias Weitz
"many other nations"? - really! Can you list them?
1
Half of this reads like the US should be thrown out of the organization until it gets its act together; and also pays its back dues.
3
@David J That might be forever or until a socialist is president.
1
@David J
The dues that were paid to UNESCO by the US before it left the first time were well over half of the money ALL countries paid into that perfect representative of worthless UN bureaucracy. BTW, the acronym stands for the United Nations Economic and Social Council. This entity has a lengthy history of being among the most worthless organizations on the planet. Its' bureaucrats live like kings and queens, and its accomplishments are so minimal as to be close to non-existent...unless, of course, you want to consider its one-sided anti-American and anti-Israeli actions as accomplishments, its ignoring far worse behavior on the part of the Saudis, the Russians and the Chinese as more accomplishments, and the sum total of its actions as worthy of support with our tax dollars.
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It would seem to me that to truly change any organization, where that change is long lasting and stable, is to do so from within, where you change the infrastructure.
Merely taking your ball and going home is how things don't change, or if they do, for the worse. Just look at the American election where millions did the same.
Peace and equality takes hard work.
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@FunkyIrishman
Actually, I am thinking of two specific occupational situations which I finally changed definitively for the better by taking my ball and going home, forcing dysfunctional situations to become non sustainable. It looks like that is what happened here.
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Nikki Haley's dismissive remarks about Unesco were just like all her arrogance where the UN is concerned. Ms. Haley used her ambassadorship for grandstanding and global bullying; she was no better than John Bolton.
Frankly, it wouldn't matter to people like Trump and Haley what reforms were undertaken by Unesco. Their agenda is far from diplomacy and cooperation, let alone finding common cultural denominators to reach those ends.
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@NM
If you interchanged Nikki Haley, and her job terminology with UNESCO and UN, and added the word "Israel" into the mix where I believe it should be then you would be correct. Otherwise, you are simply stating what a former professor of mine called "gobbledygook".
1
Too often should do this or that is used instead of a positive statement. It allows debate instead of a categorical statement. We "should" not just rejoin UNESCO, we have a duty to rejoin, a moral imperative, a choice of right and wrong. Should is wishy washy.
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If essentially we didn't miss out on anything of great benefit to us by not staying in the organization, how about we re-direct the money we saved by not being a member and spend it on aid with strings to the countries that the caravans are coming from. Who knows if that could be done legally, but it would seem to solve a bunch of problems.
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@Kevin Or to help US citizens, or reduce the deficit. Those countries should get no money, NONE!!!
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The decisions of the US and Israel top leave UNESCO obviously are not irreversible (unlike say, a fatwa). I'm confident that if UNESCO turns over a new leaf and establishes a sustained record of dealing with Middle East issues without its prior anti-Israel obsession and bias, Israel and the US will rejoin. But the proof is in the pudding.
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The United Nations is neither united nor representative of all its nations.
Israel, above all, has been singled out for constant condemnation and criticism, while North Korea, Russia, Venezuela, Iran, and many other violators are ignored and allowed to murder and spread discord.
UNESCO has long been one of the most anti-Semitic of the UN groups.
It should not be supported by US taxpayers when it is so dominated by our enemies and those who support dictatorships and racist, homophobic, anti-Semtic regimes.
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@simon sez
The United Nations has never been more representative.
It certainly wasnt representative in 1948 when its member states voted to partition land Palestinians had lived on for the last thousand years for recent European Jewish arrivals. Look up the member states in 1948, when half the world was still in colonial bondage, vs today when those countries now have the vote. Certainly more representative.
Things were really better when Europe and the West didnt have to contend with colonized lands having a voice. For obvious reasons, those formerly colonized lands dont like colonialism or colonialist states like Israel.
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@simon sez
Did you read the article? Apparently not.
The reforms that have been taking place have led to Israel moving toward rejoining UNESCO but hesitant to do so for fear of annoying Trump.
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@Mimi - And you know this...how? Mind reading, access to secret documents, a private line to Netanyahu's office?
Or is it just what you assume?
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No. Such touching devotion to the idea of one world government that you'll trust anything that the UN says, despite decades of evidence of their vicious bias against Israel? Let them end the status of the Palestinians as the world's only perpetual refugees, let Mr. Guterres denounce the weekly Hamas celebration of arson attacks, and I'll think about rejoining UN organizations. Don't fool yourself: the 1/3 of American Jewish voters who supported Donald Trump, and will support him again, do so because they feel he is best for America and for Israel.
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@Mary
It seems to me that supporting that imperious bumbler, who, either by intention or accident, seems out to destroy democracy, and who would not condemn the Charlottesville marchers who chanted, "Jews will not replace us," is not intelligent placement of that support.
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