Trump Withdraws US from UNESCO Amid Clash over Ideological Priorities
Concerns Over DEI Policies
Administration officials expressed concerns about UNESCO's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. White House deputy spokesperson Anna Kelly stated that the organization's pro-Palestinian and pro-China stance influenced the decision, emphasizing that Trump prioritizes American interests in international organizations.
UNESCO's recent initiatives raised alarms, as the 2023 'anti-racism toolkit' urged member states to adopt anti-racist policies. Additionally, the 2024 'Transforming MEN'talities' initiative aimed to reshape perceptions of gender issues in India, which also included a report on using video games to promote gender equality.
Anti-Israel Actions
UNESCO has faced criticism for its anti-Israel actions, including designating Jewish holy sites as 'Palestinian World Heritage' sites, with the organization frequently describing Palestine as 'occupied' by Israel while failing to condemn Hamas's actions in Gaza.
Moreover, China, the second-largest funder of UNESCO, has leveraged its influence to promote its interests. The Chinese Communist Party has faced scrutiny for downplaying the role of minorities, such as Uyghur Muslims, in its history.
Trump previously withdrew the US from UNESCO in 2017, citing similar concerns. The US first left the organization in 1983 under President Reagan, who criticized its politicization and hostility toward free societies. President Biden rejoined UNESCO in 2023, arguing that American presence was essential to counter China's influence, with his administration also pledging to repay over $600 million in dues since 2011.
Short link :
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Asharq Al-Awsat
35 minutes ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
USAID Analysis Finds No Evidence of Massive Hamas Theft of Gaza Aid
An internal US government analysis found no evidence of systematic theft by the Palestinian group Hamas of US-funded humanitarian supplies, challenging the main rationale that Israel and the US give for backing a new armed private aid operation. The analysis, which has not been previously reported, was conducted by a bureau within the US Agency for International Development and completed in late June. It examined 156 incidents of theft or loss of US-funded supplies reported by US aid partner organizations between October 2023 and this May. It found "no reports alleging Hamas" benefited from US-funded supplies, according to a slide presentation of the findings seen by Reuters. A State Department spokesperson disputed the findings, saying there is video evidence of Hamas looting aid, but provided no such videos. The spokesperson also accused traditional humanitarian groups of covering up "aid corruption." The findings were shared with the USAID's inspector general's office and State Department officials involved in Middle East policy, said two sources familiar with the matter, and come as dire food shortages deepen in the devastated enclave. Israel says it is committed to allowing in aid but must control it to prevent it from being stolen by Hamas, which it blames for the crisis. The UN World Food Program says nearly a quarter of Gaza's 2.1 million Palestinians face famine-like conditions, thousands are suffering acute malnutrition, and the World Health Organization and doctors in the enclave report starvation deaths of children and others. The UN also estimates that Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 people seeking food supplies, the majority near the militarized distribution sites of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the new private aid group that uses a for-profit US logistics firm run by a former CIA officer and armed US military veterans. The study was conducted by the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) of USAID, which was the largest funder of assistance to Gaza before the Trump administration froze all US foreign aid in January, terminating thousands of programs. It has also begun dismantling USAID, whose functions have been folded into the State Department. The analysis found that at least 44 of the 156 incidents where aid supplies were reported stolen or lost were "either directly or indirectly" due to Israeli military actions, according to the briefing slides. Israel's military did not respond to questions about those findings. The study noted a limitation: because Palestinians who receive aid cannot be vetted, it was possible that US-funded supplies went to administrative officials of Hamas, the rulers of Gaza. One source familiar with the study also cautioned that the absence of reports of widespread aid diversion by Hamas "does not mean that diversion has not occurred." The war in Gaza began after Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Nearly 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli assault began, according to Palestinian health officials. ISRAEL SAYS HAMAS DIVERTS HUMANITARIAN AID Israel, which controls access to Gaza, has said that Hamas steals food supplies from UN and other organizations to use to control the civilian population and boost its finances, including by jacking up the prices of the goods and reselling them to civilians. Asked about the USAID report, the Israeli military told Reuters that its allegations are based on intelligence reports that Hamas fighters seized cargoes by "both covertly and overtly" embedding themselves on aid trucks. Those reports also show that Hamas has diverted up to 25% of aid supplies to its fighters or sold them to civilians, the Israeli military said, adding that GHF has ended the group's control of aid by distributing it directly to civilians. Hamas denies the allegations. A Hamas security official said that Israel has killed more than 800 Hamas-affiliated police and security guards trying to protect aid vehicles and convoy routes. Their missions were coordinated with the UN. Reuters could not independently verify the claims by Hamas and Israel, which has not made public proof that the fighters have systematically stolen aid. GHF also accuses Hamas of massive aid theft in defending its distribution model. The UN and other groups have rejected calls by GHF, Israel and the US to cooperate with the foundation, saying it violates international humanitarian principles of neutrality. In response to a request for comment, GHF referred Reuters to a July 2 Washington Post article that quoted an unidentified Gazan and anonymous Israeli officials as saying Hamas profited from the sales and taxing of pilfered humanitarian aid. AID GROUPS REQUIRED TO REPORT LOSSES The 156 reports of theft or losses of supplies reviewed by BHA were filed by UN agencies and other humanitarian groups working in Gaza as a condition of receiving US aid funds. The second source familiar with the matter said that after receiving reports of US-funded aid thefts or losses, USAID staff followed up with partner organizations to try to determine if there was Hamas involvement. Those organizations also would "redirect or pause" aid distributions if they learned that Hamas was in the vicinity, the source said. Aid organizations working in Gaza also are required to vet their personnel, sub-contractors and suppliers for ties to extremist groups before receiving US funds, a condition that the State Department waived in approving $30 million for GHF last month. The slide presentation noted that USAID partners tended to over-report aid diversion and theft by groups sanctioned or designated by the US as foreign terrorist organizations - such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad - because they want to avoid losing US funding. Of the 156 incidents of loss or theft reported, 63 were attributed to unknown perpetrators, 35 to armed actors, 25 to unarmed people, 11 directly to Israeli military action, 11 to corrupt subcontractors, five to aid group personnel "engaging in corrupt activities," and six to "others," a category that accounted for "commodities stolen in unknown circumstances," according to the slide presentation. The armed actors "included gangs and other miscellaneous individuals who may have had weapons," said a slide. Another slide said "a review of all 156 incidents found no affiliations with" US-designated foreign terrorist organizations, of which Hamas is one. "The majority of incidents could not be definitively attributed to a specific actor," said another slide. "Partners often largely discovered the commodities had been stolen in transit without identifying the perpetrator." It is possible there were classified intelligence reports on Hamas aid thefts, but BHA staff lost access to classified systems in the dismantlement of USAID, said a slide. However, a source familiar with US intelligence assessments told Reuters that they knew of no US intelligence reports detailing Hamas aid diversions and that Washington was relying on Israeli reports. The BHA analysis found that the Israeli military "directly or indirectly caused" a total of 44 incidents in which US-funded aid was lost or stolen. Those included the 11 attributed to direct Israeli military actions, such as airstrikes or orders to Palestinians to evacuate areas of the war-torn enclave. Losses indirectly attributed to Israeli military included cases where they compelled aid groups to use delivery routes with high risks of theft or looting, ignoring requests for alternative routes, the analysis said.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
‘Pains me to say genocide is happening In Gaza' Israeli panel debates Gaza & Peace
Israelis were united in their shock, grief and anger following the October 7 attacks. There was a collective demand for a tough response. But – 21 months on – is that unity fracturing? Opinion polls show domestic support for the war wanning... Israel's allies are losing patience, and the end goal seems more opaque than ever. On this special – all-Israeli panel we ask – is the war in Gaza dividing Israel? In the coming weeks, we'll bring you a dedicated Palestinian perspective. But on this special all-Israeli panel, we want focus on how Israel is grappling with the criticism and division. We'll ask: - Is a split forming in Israel - between those who do and don't support the war? - How do Israelis feel about mounting international criticism of the war, including accusations of genocide? - And how they think this war will end? Guests: - Asher Fredman, Executive Director of The Misgav Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy. - Itamar Greenberg, a 19-year-old activist who served almost 200 days in an Israeli military prison for refusing to serve in the Israeli Army. - Gershon Baskin, the co-director of Alliance for Two States and a former Israeli hostage negotiator.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Abbas hails French recognition as ‘victory for Palestinian cause'
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas hails France's recognition of a Palestinian state as a 'victory for the Palestinian cause.'
