U.S. And Israel Formally Quit UNESCO Accusing It Of Bias

VOA: US, Israel Pull Out of UNESCO, Claiming Bias

PARIS — The United States and Israel officially quit of the U.N.'s educational, scientific and cultural agency at the stroke of midnight, the culmination of a process triggered more than a year ago amid concerns that the organization fosters anti-Israel bias.

The withdrawal is mainly procedural yet serves a new blow to UNESCO, co-founded by the U.S. after World War II to foster peace.

The Trump administration filed its notice to withdraw in October 2017 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed suit.

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More News On U.S. And Israel Formally Quitting UNESCO

The U.S. and Israel Have Quit the U.N.'s Cultural Agency UNESCO, Accusing It of Bias -- Time/AP
U.S., Israel, formally leave UNESCO -- UPI
US and Israel formally quit UNESCO -- Al Jazeera
UNESCO’s turn: Washington & Tel Aviv ditch international body over ‘anti-Israel bias’ -- RT

U.S. Withdraws From UNESCO

New York Times: U.S. Will Withdraw From Unesco, Citing Its ‘Anti-Israel Bias’

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it would withdraw from Unesco, the United Nations cultural organization, after years of America distancing itself because of what it called the group’s “anti-Israel bias.”

“This decision was not taken lightly,” according to a State Department statement on Thursday. In addition to anti-Israel bias, the department cited “the need for fundamental reform” and “mounting arrears” at the organization.

While the United States withdrew from the group, the Trump administration said it wanted to continue providing American perspective and expertise to Unesco, but as a nonmember observer. The withdrawal goes into effect at the end of 2018.

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More News On The U.S. Withdrawing From UNESCO

U.S. withdraws from U.N.'s cultural agency UNESCO -- Reuters
US to pull out of UNESCO amid Palestinian tensions -- ABC News
US Cites 'Anti-Israel Bias' in Decision to Pull Out of UNESCO -- NBC
US withdraws from UNESCO over 'anti-Israel bias' -- CNN
US quits Unesco over 'anti-Israel bias' -- BBC News
US Withdraws From UNESCO, Saying It's Biased Against Israel -- Bloomberg
Citing anti-Israel bias, US to withdraw from UNESCO -- Politico
What Is UNESCO? US Pulls Out Of Organization -- International Business Times
US to Pull Out of UNESCO, Again -- Foreign Policy

All Of Syria's UNESCO Heritage Sites Have Been Damaged Or Destroyed

RT: 6 out of 6: ALL of Syria's UNESCO Heritage Sites damaged or destroyed during civil war

The destruction of the ancient city of Palmyra has made a real impact, but in fact each and every ancient site in Syria inscribed on the World Heritage List has suffered during the five years of conflict. RT looks back at unique landmarks shattered by military action.

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WNU Editor: A thousand years from now people will look back at this time and call this destruction of history in the Middle East as the "dark ages".

Syria’s Six World Heritage Sites Are Declared Endangered

Six Syrian Heritage Sites Declared Endangered -- Al Jazeera

UNESCO says that more than two years of civil war have inflicted heavy damage on ancient sites.

Six ancient sites in Syria, including the city of Aleppo which has suffered considerable damage in the course of the country's ongoing conflict, have been added to the endangered World Heritage list, UNESCO says.

The other sites to be added are the ancient cities of Damascus and Bosra, the oasis of Palmyra, the castles of Crac des Chevaliers and Qal'at Salah El-Din - also known as the Fortress of Saladin - and the ancient villages of northern Syria.

"Due to the armed conflict situation in Syria, the conditions are no longer present to ensure the conservation and protection of the Outstanding Universal Value of the six World Heritage properties," a UNESCO document said.

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More News On Syria's World Heritage Sites Being Declared Endangered

Syria’s Six World Heritage sites placed on List of World Heritage in Danger -- UNESCO
Syria's historical treasures in danger, UN warns -- The Telegraph
Syria's UNESCO Historical Sites Put On Danger List -- AP
UNESCO adds 6 Syrian World Heritage sites to danger list -- Global Post
Syria conflict: Unesco adds ancient sites to danger list -- BBC
UNESCO lists 6 Syria heritage sites as 'endangered' -- France24/AFP