US, Israel formerly quit UNESCO over bias allegations

The total number of member states of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been reduced by two after the official withdrawal of the United States and Israel.

Reports say the development comes after the culmination of a process triggered more than a year ago after an announcement in 2017 following an argument that the US fosters anti-Israel bias.

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US President Donald Trump filed a notice of withdrawal in October 2017 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed suit after the allegation of bias was mooted.

Recall that the US had earlier demanded “fundamental reform” in the agency which had previously criticised Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem and granted full membership to Palestine in 2011.

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