The Czech Chamber of Deputies called on the nation’s government on Tuesday to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to stop paying membership fees to UNESCO until the organisation stops its anti-Israel bias.
In honour of the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification, the lower chamber of the Czech Republic’s bicameral parliament passed two pro-Israel resolutions, both critical of the United Nations’ cultural and scientific agency.
In an unusual step, the country’s president also sent greetings to an event hosted by the Israeli embassy in honour of Jerusalem Day.
“The Chamber of Deputies calls on the government of the Czech Republic to stop all payments of membership fees to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) from the state budget this year,” the non-binding resolution read.
The Czech lawmakers further resolved to urge the government to freeze payments to UNESCO in future years if it does not cease allowing itself to be politicised for an anti-Israel agenda.
Israel’s ambassador to the Paris-based agency, Carmel Shama-Hacohen, welcomed the resolution. “Another blessed decision and another sane voice against the stream of delusional resolutions on the matter of Jerusalem,” he told The Times of Israel. “This is indeed a nice present from Prague to the people of Israel on Jerusalem Day.”
