Rep. Walsh Condemns UNESCO Move Toward Palestinian Statehood

Statement

Today, Congressman Joe Walsh issued a strong warning to the U.N. Body UNESCO after it took a step closer toward recognizing a Palestinian state. The UNESCO board decided today to let its 193 member countries vote on unilaterally recognizing Palestinian statehood later this month. Walsh's Palestinian Accountability Act (H.R. 2457) would withhold funding from the United Nations if the international body or any of its entities, including UNESCO, vote to unilaterally recognize Palestinian statehood.

"Once again the United Nations has proved that it is less interested in fostering peace in the Middle East than condemning and vilifying the region's most accountable democracy, Israel. The Palestinian Authority has repeatedly violated its peace agreements with Israel, refused to recognize its right to exist, and has now joined forces with the terrorist group Hamas. Yet, the United Nations continues to vilify and condemn Israel, the one country in the region actually committed to peace.

"The time has come to cut off funding to the United Nations. It is no longer in the business of promoting peace, democracy, and human rights around the world. Instead, it has allowed Islamist and totalitarian regimes to hijack its agenda and further their single-minded campaign to destroy Israel.

"I call on President Obama to exercise leadership and join me in warning the United Nations that there will be ramifications to any actions, like UNESCO's, to reward the Palestinians for refusing to return to the negotiating table."

Congressman Walsh has introduced two other bills in defense of Israel during the 112th Congress. H.R. 1501 will withhold funding from the United Nations until it retracts the Goldstone Report, a 2009 report that accused Israel of war crimes. H.Res. 394 supports Israel's right to annex Judea and Samaria in the event that the Palestinians continue to push for unilateral recognition of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations.

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