On Friday, October 31, 2011, the members of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) voted to admit Palestine as its 195th full member. UNESCO became the first agency of the United Nations to admit Palestine as a member while the General Assembly considers Palestine's application to the world body. The UNESCO vote, which was 107 in favor, 14 against, and 52 countries abstaining, is not unprecedented in the agency's history -- the not-fully-independent and non-UN member Cook Islands is a full UNESCO member. Palestine must still sign and ratify UNESCO's Constitution in the archives of the Government of the United Kingdom in London for membership to take effect.
(Image: The Palestinian flag is carried during the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Getty Images)
Comments
I hope that the PA’s admission as UNESCO member will not create greater tensions since it is impossible that they should become a full UN member, what am I talking about? Of course it will increase the tension. Actually maybe not a bad thing this vote, we get to see clearly which countries are supportive of Israel & who aren’t.
Palestine should have been independent with the rest of southwest Asia with the defeat of the Ottoman Empire. Instead, almost a century later, it is just now being admitted to UNESCO. One can only hope it will soon become a full member state of the UN and obtain the international leverage it needs to remove its occupiers. Without arm-twisting, Israel really has no support but that of the US. All nation’s understand the justice in this, but some fall prey to US and Israeli hegemony. Tensions? LIfe under occupation is forever tense.
UNESCO as its name applies it should be a neutral body. the more civilize the human civilization is the more global their thinking cap is. Lets promote sense of sharing and loving. Its true that you need roots to hold your thought otherwise it won’t last long or it will lose ground. Believe me that there’s always way to get there. It will take time. Let’s be in contact.
muz