In addition to their application for full membership to the UN to the UN Security Council, the Palestinians have also applied for membership in the Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Despite legislation requiring the US to cut-off US funding for any organization that accepts the Palestinian state as a member, the 58 member executive committee voted to accept Palestine sending the matter to the full conference of 193 nations which meets later this month.
Member states felt so strongly that they defied US strong-arm tactics, putting 22% of their budget at risk, and dealing another blow to the legitimacy of the US opposition.
Scott Sayare and Steven Erlanger report, in the New York Times, that Palestinians Win a Vote on Bid to Join Unesco
PARIS — Despite strong opposition from the United States, Germany and several other European states, the Palestinians gained initial approval on Wednesday of a bid for full membership in Unesco ... Existing United States legislation appears to mandate the cutoff of money to the United Nations or any of its agencies if they grant “full membership as a state to any organization or group that does not have the internationally recognized attributes of statehood,” and more legislation along the same lines has been introduced. The United States contributes 22 percent of Unesco’s budget.
“We need the issue of the state of Palestine to be resolved in the U.N. system,” said Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations. Unesco, Mr. Mansour said, “is one place where we can acquire our rightful place among the community of nations as a full member.”
Membership would allow Palestinian officials to seek the protection of Palestinian historical sites by the cultural organization, other officials noted. That would create further conflict with Israel. For instance, some of those sites are in east Jerusalem, which Israel has annexed.
... the Paris headquarters of Unesco, the membership vote was received with cheers and applause by many delegations.
The Palestinian envoy to Unesco, Elias Wadih Sanbar, told the assembled delegates: “We are inaugurating a new era in which Palestine is recognized.”
Of course, the US and Israel, raised all of the usual objections.
Most ironic is the old canard, that getting Israel's permission at the negotiation table is the only correct way for Palestine to become a nation. Neither the US, nor Israel waited for our oppressors to approve our declaration of independences.
President Abbas has indicated many times that the recognition of the Palestinian state will enhance its ability to negotiate a fair and credible two-state solution with Israel.
One that will be seen by Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims around the world as more legitimate because the Palestinians will have one less gun of duress held to their heads.
And, such a development will reverse the "time value of delay" that allows Prime Minister Netanyahu from stalling negotiations expand illegal settlements in the West Bank and what is left of Arab East Jerusalem, calling them facts on the ground.
So I believe all of us who support a peaceful and secure two-state solution for both Palestine and Israel should join those delegates to Unesco who applauded news of this decision.