Israel

The United States said Thursday that it was pulling out of the U.N.'s culture and education body, accusing it of "anti-Israel bias" in a move criticized by the head of the Paris-based organization. Following years of tension at UNESCO, which is in the process of electing a new director-general, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert announced that Washington planned to withdraw. "This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO," she said in a statement. The United States -- one of the body's founding members -- has withdrawn once before under president Ronald Reagan, who quit in 1984 over alleged financial mismanagement and anti-U.S. bias in some of its policies. President George W. Bush announced America's return in 2002, but relations soured again in 2011 when Washington pulled the plug on funding to the body after … [Read more...] about US pulls out of UNESCO, citing ‘anti-Israel’ bias