US to leave UNESCO due to anti-Israel bias, Jerusalem welcomes decision

The Trump administration announced on Tuesday that the United States would withdraw from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), citing the organization’s "globalist and ideological goals" and alleged bias against the United States and the State of Israel.

"UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes,” stated State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce. She argued that the organization’s admission of the “State of Palestine” is “highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and has fueled anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.

The announcement came one day after White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly had informed The New York Post that UNESCO “supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes,” adding that President Donald Trump “will always put America First and ensure our country’s membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests.”

Trump had previously also ordered a 90-day review of any “antisemitism or anti-Israel sentiment within the organization.” 

UNESCO’s Executive Board has drawn criticism for measures perceived as anti-Israel and anti-Jewish, including resolutions that label Jewish holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City, Samaria, and Judea (commonly referred to as the West Bank) as “Palestinian World Heritage” sites.

Although the organization is tasked with promoting culture and education, it has repeatedly condemned Israel’s military actions against Hamas while largely overlooking Hamas’ terrorism and human rights abuses in Gaza.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed the U.S. decision to leave the politicized UN organization. 

“This is a necessary step, designed to promote justice and Israel’s right for fair treatment in the UN system, a right which has often been trampled due to politicization in this arena,” Sa’ar stated. 

“Singling out Israel and politicization by member states must end, in this and all professional UN agencies,” he continued.

“Israel thanks the US for its moral support and leadership, especially in the multilateral arena which is plagued with anti-Israel discrimination."

The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, echoed similar sentiments, hailing the Trump administration’s decision as “a proper response to UNESCO’s consistent anti-Israel bias – an organization that has lost its way.”

UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay responded by lamenting Washington’s decision to leave the UN organization, arguing that the U.S. claims against her organization “contradict the reality of UNESCO’s efforts.”

“Its work has been unanimously acclaimed by major specialized organizations such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, the World Jewish Congress and its American Section, and the American Jewish Committee. UNESCO has supported 85 countries in implementing tools and training teachers to educate students about the Holocaust and genocides, and to combat Holocaust denial and hate speech,” Azoulay claimed. 

However, the UNESCO chief failed to address the fact that her organization has systematically tried to erase ancient Jewish and Israelite history. In September 2023, Israel condemned UNESCO’s decision to declare the ancient city of Jericho as a World Heritage site in the “State of Palestine,” despite its ancient Jewish and Biblical history. 

This is the second time that Trump has decided to leave UNESCO. The U.S. previously left the organization in 2018. However, in 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden decided that the U.S. would re-join the UN organization.