Palestine becomes member of UNESCO

Palestine, won his greatest international support on Monday again, full membership in UNESCO, but the move will cost the agency a fifth of its funding and some fear will send peace efforts in the Middle East to a cliff.

In an unusually dramatic session at the Paris-based Organization, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, there were cheers of "Yes" and the discontent of the "no" votes and abstentions. "Joy fills my heart. It is truly a historic moment," said Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Riad Malki. UNESCO strongly depends on the money - Washington provides 22 percent of its budget - but survived without it in the past: The United States withdrew from UNESCO under President Ronald Reagan, joining two decades later under President George W. Bush.

Monday's vote was a major symbolic victory for the Palestinians, but not enough to make Palestine a state. The issues of borders of a Palestinian state possible, security, a solution for Palestinian refugees, the fate of Jerusalem and other disputes that have hampered peace in the Middle East for decades remain. The spokesman for the White House Jay Carney called the UNESCO decision "premature" and said it undermines the efforts of the international community towards a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. He called it a distraction from the goal to revive direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Trafficking of UNESCO science, not science fiction," he said in a speech to delegates after the vote. "However, many member states, much more vigorously at least two thirds of the States members of this organization, adopted a version of science fiction from reality. "

His government said it was reconsidering its cooperation with UNESCO.

Eighty-one vote needed for approval - or two thirds of the 173 delegations eligible members present. In a surprise, France voted "yes" - and the room erupted in applause. He was joined by Ireland, Austria and the Arab States. Voting "no" included the United States, Israel, Sweden, Netherlands and Germany, while many U.S. allies abstained, including Japan, Britain and New Zealand.

Monday's vote is final, and membership takes effect when formally signs founding charter of Palestine to UNESCO.

Here, however, are concerns that the strategy could backfire. Before the vote, Foreign Minister of Israel openly, Avigdor Lieberman, said that if the measure passed, Israel should cut ties with the Palestinian Authority. The Obama administration has promised to use its veto in the Security Council to cancel the membership Palestinian General of the UN, but was hoping he would not come to that for brandishing his veto could undermine the United States the pivotal role as a negotiator in general between Israel and the Palestinians.

UNESCO, like many UN agencies, is part of the body in the world, but the accession process has separated and can make their own decisions about which countries belong. Two tiny Pacific island nations - the Cook Islands and Niue - are members of UNESCO, but not the UN, while Liechtenstein is part of the body of the world's largest, but not the cultural organization.

While the impact of the vote is not felt immediately in the Middle East, it will be quickly felt at UNESCO, which protects historic heritage sites and works to improve literacy in the world, the access to girls' education and cultural understanding. In addition to reduced funding, the vote will also be returning UNESCO's efforts in recent years to shed its image as an anti-Israeli agency. The Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said it was up to member states "to ensure the UN system as a political and financial support coherent whole."

"As such, we will need to work on tactical solutions to preserve the financial resources of UNESCO", he said, while urging a negotiated solution to peace in the Middle East.