Sa'ar calls on UNESCO to nix Palestine admission

Speaking at General Assembly in Paris, education minister says PA trying to bypass Security Council discussions on Palestinian statehood.

By BEN HARTMAN
Gideon Saar at UNESCO 311 (photo credit: Education Ministry)
Gideon Saar at UNESCO 311
(photo credit: Education Ministry)
Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar (Likud) on Thursday criticized the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for a recent resolution to admit Palestine to the organization.
Speaking at the UNESCO General Assembly in Paris, Sa’ar said “this is a political decision which is outside the field of competence of this organization...
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Is it the role of UNESCO to make decisions regarding the ‘creation’ of new states? “Of course not. A Palestinian state will not be created as a result of this possible decision.”
Sa’ar also called on UNESCO to work against what he referred to as the “anti-Israel obsession” he said is held by some members of the organization.
“We and other members regret this anti-Israeli obsession. The only country-specific resolutions adopted by the executive board for some time now are against Israel. These resolutions are adopted without consensus, a guiding principle in the work of UNESCO,” Sa’ar said.
He also criticized the Palestinians for, in his words, favoring international bodies over negotiations with Israelis.
“Instead of choosing the path of negotiations, the Palestinians have chosen to try and internationalize the conflict. The admission of the Palestinians as members to UNESCO is inconsistent with international law and with the bilateral legal framework that exists between Israel and the Palestinians.”