Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Palestinian Member of UNESCO

UNESCO decided to give full membership to the Palestinians in the organization through voting, yesterday. Full membership in UNESCO can assist Palestinian efforts to gain recognition as a United Nations member states.

Palestinians have the support of two thirds of the members of UNESCO to be a member of the UNESCO-195. Of the 173 countries that voted, 107 supported, 14 refused, 52 abstentions and 12 absent.

UNESCO is the first UN organization that provides full membership to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas since filed a full membership in the UN on 23 September.

United States, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands rejected. Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa, Austria and France support, while the UK and Italy abstained.Washington probably will cut funding for UNESCO as a form of opposition.

"The decision of UNESCO to accept Palestine as a full member to make us upset to provide support to the organization," said David T Kiliion, U.S. Ambassador to UNESCO, after the vote was read.

"The only road to Israeli-Palestinian peace is through direct negotiations, not with shortcuts. UNESCO's decision today (yesterday-Red) is counterproductive. "

UNESCO's decision also shows a split on foreign policy in the European Union. Twenty-seven members to support the Palestinians while remaining opposed to membership.

Mombardir Gaza

Meanwhile, from Gaza City is rumored, yesterday Israeli aircraft bombarded the southern Gaza Strip to stop the activities of the militants who launched rockets in recent days.Palestinian Parties reported two people were found dead in the area.

The attack was feared it could aggravate the conflict which has recently re-heating up between the two adversaries, despite the Israeli Defense Ministry ruled out the possibility of a ground attack in a wider scale on Gaza.

Israeli Defense Ministry is determined to prevent attacks on its territories in the south because more than one million residents live within rocket range of Gaza militants.