U.S Law requires the withholding of assessed and voluntary contributions to the U.N.
Washington, DC- Congresswoman Kay Granger, Chairwoman of the House State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, warned the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO) Executive Board that granting full membership to the Palestinians could end U.S. contributions to that organization.
Under U.S. law, the United States is prohibited from giving funds to the United Nations or any United Nations agency that grants the Palestine Liberation Organization the same standing as member states.
Today, the UNESCO Executive board is scheduled to vote on granting full membership to the Palestinians. U.S. law requires that the United States withhold its ‘assessed and voluntary contributions’ if the Palestine Liberation Organization is given full membership in the UN or any specialized agency, such as UNESCO.
“Since April, I have made it clear to the Palestinian leadership that I would not support sending U.S. taxpayer money to the Palestinians if they sought statehood at the United Nations,” Granger said. “Making a move in another U.N. agency will not only jeopardize our relationship with the Palestinians, it will jeopardize our contributions to the United Nations. As Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, I will advocate for all funding to be cut off. This is consistent with current law and I will consider additional actions as needed. There are consequences for short-cutting the process, not only for the Palestinians, but for our longstanding relationship with the United Nations.”
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