TIL Desk/World/Jerusalem-Israel announced today a USD 2-million cut in its contribution to the United Nations budget because of constant criticism by the UN Human Rights Council of its policies towards the Palestinians.
The foreign ministry, in a statement, condemned “obsessional discrimination against Israel on the part of the United Nations and its agencies” to justify the cut in funding. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “decided to allocate the two million dollars to international aid and to investment in developing countries which support Israel in international bodies”, it said.
The Jewish state had already cut USD 6 million from its contribution of USD 11.7 million following a UN Security Council resolution passed in December condemning Israel’s settlement building in the occupied Palestinian territories, a foreign ministry spokesman said. Last week, a United Nations rights expert issued a blistering criticism of Israel’s policies, deepening a row over alleged anti-Israel bias within the UN following US pressure.
