Last Thursday, it was announced by the Trump Administration that the United States will be withdrawing from UNESCO, or the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. The organization was created in 1945 as a means of establishing an educational organization that would be in place to create peace after World War II. The organization’s objectives include attaining education for all, creating policy for sustainable development, addressing emerging social challenges, and building inclusive knowledge societies through information and communication. But in recent years, American foreign policy leaders have been critical of the group for political bias.

The largest bias seen by American leaders from the organization is one against American-ally Israel. America has ceased funding for UNESCO since 2011 because of the decision by the organization to grant Palestine full membership. At the time, Palestine was not considered a “state” by the United Nations. The United States also has a law prohibiting them from funding any UN organization that grants membership to the Palestine Liberation Organization or any other non-internationally recognized group. Since America stopped its funding, UNESCO has continued to make decisions regarding Israel without American support. UNESCO has repeatedly condemned Israel for activities in the West Bank, and earlier this year designated the city of Hebron, a Palestinian Heritage site. Israel argued that this move ignores centuries of Jewish history in the city.

In response to the decision to withdraw from UNESCO, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, “This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO.” Nauert references the “mounting arrears” within the group, which refers to the more than $500 million that the United States has been charged since their suspension of funding. United States Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has long criticized United Nations based organizations for holding an anti-Israel bias. Haley has committed that in her tenure as UN Ambassador, she will reject any measures that appear to be unfair to Israel. This American decision with UNESCO appears to be a reflection of this sentiment.

Following the American withdrawal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a set of tweets, that he thought the American withdrawal was “courageous” and “ethical.” Israel is expected to follow America and leave UNESCO for the same reasons. The United Nations response came from UNESCO Chief Bokova, who said the action was a loss to the “UN family” and a “loss for multilateralism.”  

President Trump is not the first President to withdraw from UNESCO. In 1984, President Reagan removed America from the group, citing a Soviet bias within the organization. But America later rejoined under the George W. Bush Administration in 2002, with the goal of promoting the importance of international cooperation.

In an anonymous statement to the press, a representative for State Department said the United States’ decision “sends a strong message that we need to see fundamental reform in the organization, and it raises everyone’s awareness about continued anti-Israel bias.” The decision will officially take effect on December 31st 2018. Until then America will continue to be a full member.