There were divisions among Caribbean Community countries on Monday when the General Assembly of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) made a most historic decision by overwhelmingly approving Palestinian membership of that international agency, which has evolved, in its 53-year history, as a virtual household name in all regions of the world.
President Barack Obama’s administration and, not surprisingly, the Israeli government reacted swiftly in demonstrating their opposition: Washington announced the immediate suspension of its estimated US$60 million annual funding to UNESCO, while Israel lost no time in responding with plans to engage in further illegal construction of “settler homes” in Palestinian territory.
Within 24 hours of the admission of Palestine as a member of UNESCO, the Obama administration was also signalling the likely use of America’s veto weapon in the UN Security Council when the issue of Palestine statehood membership, as already approved by the UN General Assembly, comes up for review and vote later this month.
As reported by international news agencies, thunderous applause erupted when it was announced on Monday that of 173 countries that participated in the historic UNESCO decision, 107 voted in favour of Palestine’s membership, 14 against; and 52 abstained.
Among the Caribbean countries endorsing the historic decision were Belize, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Grenada, Suriname, Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
The United States had the company of Canada and Panama in voting against; while six CARICOM countries – The Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago – abstained. Antigua and Barbuda and Guyana were absent.
However, while the United States and Israel are continuing their diplomatic lobbying efforts to frustrate a winning vote in the UN Security Council for admission of Palestine as a sovereign independent state bordering Israel, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Guyana, Suriname and St Vincent and the Grenadines have already officially recognized Palestinian statehood.
Other Western Hemisphere nations that voted in favour of Palestine’s membership in UNESCO were Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The United States’ annual funding of approximately US$80 million, represents about a quarter of UNESCO’s annual budget, and it would be interesting, now that the nations of the Middle East have voted enthusiastically for Palestine’s membership in that body, to see if they – particularly the oil-rich ones – would be disposed to helping UNESCO overcome its upcoming budget deficit problem.
