Congress threatens to cut UN funding for voting against Israel
President Donald Trump and Congress are on the same page with a new law that would cut US funding for UN agencies deemed insufficiently supportive of Israel.
United Nations agencies that single out Israel may soon be on the hook to lose a certain portion of US funding.
According to a little-noticed provision in the massive government spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law last week, UN agencies and entities that act against the United States or its allies, including Israel, could lose 5% of their US contribution.
The new law requires the secretary of state to consult with the US ambassador to the UN to determine if an “agency or entity has taken an official action that is against the national security interest of the United States or an ally of the United States, including Israel.” Israel is the only US ally that is explicitly named in both the bill’s text and its accompanying report language.
In an effort to sway UN policy, the law stipulates that the UN agency must take steps to change the policy in question before receiving the withheld funds. Otherwise, the funds are subject to reprogramming for other international organizations.
