[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16657]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  UNESCO AND THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY

  (Mr. FLAKE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Speaker, on Monday, October 31, UNESCO voted to award 
the Palestinian Authority full membership in its organization. UNESCO 
made the decision in spite of an existing U.S. law which prohibits U.S. 
contributions to the United Nations or any associated organization that 
awards the Palestinian Authority the same standing as full member 
states.
  It defies logic that UNESCO would willingly forgo nearly one-quarter 
of its budget--the 22 percent that is contributed by the United States 
each year--in exchange for awarding the PA full member status. This 
decision is especially troubling considering that it will only diminish 
the prospects for genuine peace between Israel and the Palestinians, 
which can only be achieved through direct negotiations between the 
parties involved and not by fiat.
  Nevertheless, UNESCO has made its decision, and the U.S. should stand 
by existing law and cut off funding for the organization. Anything 
short of this will send a clear message to other international 
organizations considering similar action that Congress and the United 
States does not follow up on what it says. It will also send a message 
to America's allies, most especially Israel, that the United States 
cannot be taken at its word. Congress needs to stand by Israel and all 
of its allies and hold UNESCO accountable for the decision that it 
made.

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