Hamdan Basyar, international affairs observer of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) said here Tuesday, other nations should pressure the US and question the US double standard policy.
He was commenting on the US decision to stop funding the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after the UN agency accepted Palestine as a full member.
"If necessary, take over the funding for UNESCO," he said.
Hamdan said the US` stance was not in accordance with President Barack Obama`s promise last year that he would support a Palestinian independent state and Palestine`s bid for UN full membership.
"The change in (Obama`s) stance has something to do with his bid for a second term in the next presidential elections," he said.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) voted to admit Palestine as a full member.
The vote, which required two-thirds approval by UNESCO members, passed with 107 in favor, 14 against, and 52 abstentions.
It was the first such vote by a UN agency.
The United States is cutting funding to the U.N. education and science agency UNESCO after the agency voted to accept a Palestinian bid for full membership, the US State Department said Monday (Oct 31).
"Today`s vote by the member states of UNESCO to admit Palestine as member is regrettable, premature and undermines our shared goal of a comprehensive just and lasing peace in the Middle East," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland.
"The United States will refrain from making contributions to UNESCO," she said. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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