US cuts funding of UNESCO

[Her3tiK]

Basically, because the UN seriously considered recognizing Palestine as a nation, the US cut all of it's funding of UNESCO, a group that provides aid to impoverished countries and disaster victims, as well as providing education to all ages. How much funding was lost, you ask? $70 million. Okay, maybe it's not that much, but it's not like the US gives out a whole hell of a lot of aid to anyone who isn't Israel. In response to this, Gabon, a small country on the W. African coast, has provided $2 million to UNESCO so they can continue their projects. Admittedly, this is the first time I've heard of Gabon, but I get the impression that they aren't terribly wealthy as a nation.
To make things worse, I learned about this because of The Daily Show, who did some actual reporting on the issue. The sad thing is, it isn't even "funny because it's true", it's just fucking pathetic. The punchline here is that the US has a 20yr old law that states that, if Palestine is considered for UN membership, we cut all funding to programs that might end up helping them in some way. Some of that this policy has now essentially ended include, tsunami warning systems for the Pacific Islands, water for refugees and agriculture in Africa, and teaching Afghan police (70% of whom are illiterate) how to read. That last one seems rather... important, to our self-serving interests, doesn't it?
And our reasoning for not getting rid of the aforementioned 20yr old law, you might ask? We can't, but Congress has the power to overturn laws, but we can't let them terrorists win. And it doesn't matter who we hurt. Because America, Fuck Yeah! I really wish I were kidding about any of this... >.>

Watch the part 1 here and part 2 here.

[Witchyjoshy]

.........

headdesk.gif

That's... that's my only reaction. ;_;

[starseeker]

What's wrong with the UN recognising Palestine as a state again? Apart from it annoying the Isralis/Christian Right?

[QueenofHearts]

I saw this too and wondered when a topic would be made on it (The Daily Show has never had a two segment issue w/o a guest since the 9/11 first responders show of December '10, and none to my memory before that. So its a big deal). Hopefully, this has the same kind of effect as that show did. The last paragraph of your post really sum up the inhumanity and absurdity of the whole situation.

And the real sad part of this is that America is saying that its up to Israel and Palestine to work everything out between themselves free of intervention, but anybody can tell you that won't happen. Israel has nothing to gain from sitting down to peaceful negotiations. Doing so would result in a return to the '67 boarders (disadvantageous) while the status quo keeps the Palestinians as 2nd class citizens. Its not much different than the states of Kurdistan (Iraq) and Kashmir (India). In this instance, for Palestine to gain any legitimate sovereignty, it has to take its appeal to the UN. God, America's blind support for Israel upsets me.

(click to show/hide)

I fell out of my chair laughing and continued laughing for about 3 straight minutes when John Oliver was chased out of the college by a guy with a chair. It was just so funny to watch and seemed to be a perfect metaphor for the anger the 3rd world has to feel for America right now.

[Meshakhad]

I'm pro-Israel and I think this is stupid.

[Her3tiK]

What's wrong with the UN recognising Palestine as a state again? Apart from it annoying the Isralis/Christian Right?

No, that's really all there is to it. Israel is a dick and has it's big bro the US to keep anyone from picking beating the ever loving shit out of them like they deserve.

[Osama bin Bambi]

I'm pro-Israel and I think this is stupid.

[RavynousHunter]

What's wrong with the UN recognising Palestine as a state again? Apart from it annoying the Isralis/Christian Right?

No, that's really all there is to it. Israel is a dick and has it's big bro the US to keep anyone from picking beating the ever loving shit out of them like they deserve.

Yeah...I'm all for Jewish folks having a nation of their own, that's cool and all, but fucking shit, Israel needs a good, hard kick in the nethers.  Hell, we'd probably save money if we stopped giving military supplies and shit to Israel...if the GOP weren't so overtly pro-war and pro-huge-defense-budget, I don't see why that wouldn't fall right in line with their ideals.  Its a fucking waste of money and resources that could be used either here, or, if it absolutely has to go abroad, could be used to help starving kids in Africa or something.

But, no.  Fuck Africa, we have to keep Israel, we have to keep the Holy Land!  Tch, if Yahweh's "holy land" is in the middle of a god damned desert, he can fucking have it.  I like grass and trees.

[D Laurier]

A free and independent Palestine in accordance with the Hussein/MacMahon accord of 1915, is pretty much the only thing that will convince me that democracy is a synonym for freedom.
The occupation must end NOW. And the partitions must be reversed and retracted with full appologys from ALL guilty partys.

[Her3tiK]

A free and independent Palestine in accordance with the Hussein/MacMahon accord of 1915, is pretty much the only thing that will convince me that democracy is a synonym for freedom.
The occupation must end NOW. And the partitions must be reversed and retracted with full appologys from ALL guilty partys.

In the mean time, we will also capture a Martian, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Jesus, as well as genetically engineer flying pigs.

[D Laurier]

A free and independent Palestine in accordance with the Hussein/MacMahon accord of 1915, is pretty much the only thing that will convince me that democracy is a synonym for freedom.
The occupation must end NOW. And the partitions must be reversed and retracted with full appologys from ALL guilty partys.

In the mean time, we will also capture a Martian, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and Jesus, as well as genetically engineer flying pigs.

Or we could just free Palestine. Restore the country to its pre-partition state, and build it up based on reasonable projections of what would have likely happened if they had never been betrayed and carved up in the first place. I'me sure England and France would be more reasonable if they were given a taste of what it feels like to be an arab.

[nickiknack]

So what's the sense of this whole"2-State solution" we've been pushing for all these years, if we have this stupid law on the books that says if Palestine gets recogized by the UN as a nation, we throw a hissy fit, and cut off funding to what would help the place? 

[QueenofHearts]

So what's the sense of this whole"2-State solution" we've been pushing for all these years, if we have this stupid law on the books that says if Palestine gets recogized by the UN as a nation, we throw a hissy fit, and cut off funding to what would help the place? 

Its that Israel must recognize Palestine before any other country can. The point is that we want to say the persecution and 2nd class citizenship of the Palestinian people is bad, but leave it up to their oppressors to change the status quo. Its speaking nicely but doing nothing.

EDIT: It gets worse. If Palestine becomes a nation as recognized by the UN (which I think the security council needs to do unanimously, but ignoring that) than the UN would become the mediator in territory disputes, and more than likely side with Palestine, thereby taking the whole areas of Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem from Israel. If Israel and Palestine reach an agreement on Palestinian territory, than it legitimizes Israel's claim to those areas. The US is using its funding and position on the security council to ensure Israeli interests. Then the purpose of the article states that America is willing to be a dick and cut $70 million of noble causes if UNESCO doesn't hop on the pro-Israel bandwagon.

[largeham]

A free and independent Palestine in accordance with the Hussein/MacMahon accord of 1915, is pretty much the only thing that will convince me that democracy is a synonym for freedom.
The occupation must end NOW. And the partitions must be reversed and retracted with full appologys from ALL guilty partys.

This. Also, re 1967 borders, this would split both countries into three parts.

[Eniliad]

A free and independent Palestine in accordance with the Hussein/MacMahon accord of 1915, is pretty much the only thing that will convince me that democracy is a synonym for freedom.
The occupation must end NOW. And the partitions must be reversed and retracted with full appologys from ALL guilty partys.

Personally, I think there's a potential middle ground to be had here; I don't think we have to fuck over either party royally in order to come to a conclusion which benefits everyone. There are compromises that reasonable people can make which allow coexistence and sovereignty of both sides.

That said, there aren't reasonable people. On either side. Let's not kid ourselves here and pretend Israel's the only aggressors here. Both sides are guilty of rather despicable acts.