Jordan MPs slam US over UNESCO funding cut

AMMAN — Jordan’s parliament on Tuesday criticised Washington over its decision to cut US funding to UNESCO, after the Palestinians won full membership in the UN’s cultural arm.

“We condemn the US decision, which was taken to punish UNESCO for the member states’ democratic and just voting to grant Palestine what it deserves,” the lower house of parliament said in a statement carried by the official Petra news agency.

“Washington’s move is strange because the United States tries to convince the world that it is protector of democracy and freedom.”

The Palestinians’ bid for UNESCO membership, which comes as they also seek to become a United Nations member state, was approved Monday in Paris despite strong opposition from the United States and Israel.

Angry US officials said Washington was withdrawing its share of UNESCO funding, which amounts to almost a quarter of the cultural body’s overall budget, and warned of a “cascade” effect should other UN bodies follow suit.

“We welcome the Palestinian admission to UNESCO as a step on the right direction. We urge other UN agencies to follow suit,” the MPs said.

Jordan, a key US ally and home to 1.8 million Palestinian refugees, signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994.

Jordan MPs slam US over UNESCO funding cut