Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu
Netanyahu instructed the Israeli Foreign Ministry to prepare for his country's withdrawal from the organization with the United States.
So the statement issued by Netanyahu's office on Thursday (12/10/2017). According to Netanyahu, the US decision was a bold and moral step.
The Israeli move was announced just hours after the United States declared resignation from UNESCO after judging that it was "anti-Israel".
The US State Department in Washington said on Thursday (12/10/2017) that UNESCO needed "fundamental reform".
US State Department press secretary Heather Nauert said the US government made this decision after going through considerable deliberations.
"This reflects the concerns of the US government ... UNESCO needs to carry out fundamental reforms," Nauert said.
It was also said that after the retreat the US - known as one of UNESCO's founders - will act as a monitoring country.
Under UNESCO regulations, US resignation begins in December 2018 and up to this period the United States remains a full member and will send a membership fee of 80 million dollars a year.
Director of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, said it regrets Washington's decision.
"When conflicts destroy communities in different parts of the world, it is unfortunate that the United States has decided to withdraw from UN agencies promoting the need for protection for endangered cultures," Bokova said.
"This is a big loss for the big family of the United Nations," Bokova said.
Washington cut its financial contribution to UNESCO after the Paris-based organization included Palestine as a full member in 2011.
Some time ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu strongly condemned UNESCO for severing the Old City of Hebron in the West Bank as a World Heritage.
Last year, Israel froze cooperation with UNESCO after the UN agency adopted a resolution that no longer included a Jewish link with a holy shrine in Jerusalem.
Ever since President Donald Trump came to power, the US has withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade cooperation and the climate agreement approved in Paris.
Trump also called the North Atlantic Defense Alliance (NATO) cooperation no longer relevant.
Diplomats said they feared the impact of diminishing US intensity in international affairs.
A diplomat at UNESCO told Reuters news agency that the absence of any major US or any major state of influence is a huge disadvantage.
UNESCO could be a forum to promote values that are important to the US itself such as education and culture, he said.
