 |
| From CBC.ca: Delegates cheer after approving Palestinian membership in a 107-14 vote with 52 abstentions during UNESCO's 36th General Conference in Paris on Monday. (Thibault Camus/Associated Press) |
Today, the United Nations Education Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) voted with a majority over the required two thirds (107 Yes, 14 No) to grant full state membership to Palestine in UNESCO, despite the threat from the United States to withdraw its financing from the organization, estimated to $60 million a year, 20% of the UNESCO budget.
Whether one is for or against the Palestinian approach, it is still shameful that the Canadian government (elected with only 40% of votes) continues its right wing (evangelical?) approach to foreign policy with a blind support to Israel, with an aggressive lobbying prior to the vote, and now considering withdrawing its $10 million yearly contribution to UNESCO.
We're talking about punishing an organization that helps promoting education, literacy, protecting Human heritage around the World, including supporting U.S. and NATO in rebuilding Afghanistan! Just because of a political vote!
What a "great" president you are Mr. Obama, a hypocrite that continues to do the opposite of all the things he promised during his 2008 campaign, including a balanced foreign policy and support for development around the World. How does cutting %20 of UNESCO budget helps? So much for "A change we can believe in".
Do Canada and the U.S. prefer that Palestinians go back to violent conflict?
God, I'm ashamed to be Canadian today!
Personal note:
I find talking about this conflict exhausting to be honest, sometimes I just wish a coalition of fed up Jews, Muslims and Christians destroys (after evacuation) all the Holy places over there so that nothing is left to fight about, maybe (just maybe) all the religious morons will understand that Human Life is the holiest thing they should care about.
