Senator Dianne Feinstein on UN-Israel Developments

Received by Email on February 1 2017 Readers: Additional Developments Follow

Dear Mr. Patterson:

Thank you for contacting me to express your thoughts on U.S. policy toward the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  I appreciate the time you took to write, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

As you may know, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act (P.L. 101-246) prohibits funding for any United Nations agency that accords the Palestinians the same standing as UN member states. In October 2011, UNESCO admitted Palestine as a member state, resulting in the withholding of U.S. contributions to that agency. 

After failing to pay dues, the United States was stripped of its voting rights within UNESCO on November 8, 2013.  However, on November 11, 2015, the United States was elected to UNESCO’s Executive Board for a term ending on November 11, 2019. 

I understand that you oppose U.S. contributions to UNESCO because of a draft resolution criticizing Israel’s actions around the Temple Mount complex in Jerusalem.  You may be interested to know that the Obama Administration criticized UNESCO’s draft resolution.  A State Department spokesperson stated: "We are deeply concerned about these kinds of recurring, politicized resolutions that do nothing to advance constructive results on the ground. And we don't believe they should be adopted.”

  

Please be assured that I have carefully noted your thoughts on this matter, and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will keep your views in mind as the Senate considers providing funding for UNESCO in FY17.

Once again, thank you for writing.  I hope that you will continue to keep me informed about issues of importance to you.  Should you have any further comments or questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C., office at (202) 224-3841 or visit my website at www.feinstein.senate.gov.  Best regards.

Sincerely yours,


  Dianne Feinstein
         United States Senator -xxx- Additional developments: In January 2017 US Congressman Mike Rogers 3rd District Alabama introduced legislation to cut US funding from the United Nations. The US provides one-fifth of the UN's operating budget. President Donald Trump's new UN Ambassador, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, is on the Security Council with plans to restore the US-Israel relationship damaged and betrayed by Obama, Secretary John Kerry and Samantha Power.  One final point, former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will not run for political office in South Korea.    New York Post Editorial February 1, 2017 UN-usual Sweet-Talk Well.  here's something fresh out of the United Nations: On Friday, the new secretary general, Antonio Guterres, had some nice words to say about Israel. Speaking to Israel Radio, the new UN chief said there's "no doubt" that Jerusalem is holy to all three of the major monotheistic religions, adding that it's also "completely clear that the Temple the Romans destroyed in Jerusalem was a Jewish temple."  Welcome words, after one UN agency recently insisted the Temple Mount isn't Jewish--but what really matters are the votes. Like the ones that passed last month's Israel-bashing Security Council resolution.  Yes, the Obama administration bears the chief blame--it refused to veto the measure, and indeed worked behind the scenes to see that it even came up for a vote. But the whole United Nations has long been rife with Israel-bashing--endless efforts by rank human-rights abusers to condemn the Jewish state for imaginary "crimes."   Now that Security Council slap may prove a tipping point. There's serious talk in Congress about slashing the United Nations budget. You have to wonder if that's why Guterres is suddenly talking so nicely about Israel.  (c) New York Post  -xxx-

Significant Dates in American Foreign Relations History

“History is a vast early warning system.” Norman Cousins

February 1 2017

Notable Birthdays:

Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007), Russian president

Princess Stephanie of Monaco (1965- )

1942, during World War II, the Voice of America broadcast its first program to Europe, relaying it through the facilities of the British Broadcasting Corp. in London.

1943, one of America's most highly decorated military units, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, made up almost exclusively of Japanese-Americans, was authorized.

1946, Norwegian statesman Trygve Lie (TRIHG'-vuh lee) was chosen to be the first secretary-general of the United Nations.

1968, during the Vietnam War, South Vietnam's police chief Nguyen Ngoc Loan executed a Viet Cong officer with a pistol shot to the head in a scene captured by news photographers.

1979, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (hoh-MAY'-nee) received a tumultuous welcome in Tehran as he ended nearly 15 years of exile.

1992, Federal judge Irving R. Kaufman, who sentenced Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to death, died in New York at age 81.

2007 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched anniversary celebrations for Iran's Islamic Revolution with a defiant promise to push ahead with the country's controversial nuclear program.

2012 Mark Zuckerberg creator of Facebook announced plans to go public with a stock offering. Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) stock price on February 1 at 1:44 p.m. Eastern:  $132.25 per share, a record high.
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Economist/diplomat Jim Patterson is a Life Member of the American Foreign Service Association, Life Member Republican National Committee, Member Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations, Member California State Society, Member Agricultural History Society, Donor Helen Keller International.