B’nai B’rith to Remain with UNESCO Will Campaign for Policy Reversal

The B’nai B’rith today applauded the actions of cultural and intellectual leaders who have severed their connections with UNESCO in protest over sanctions imposed on Israel. But B’nai B’rith president David M. Blumberg said that his organization, which holds non-governmental status at the United Nations, would not quit its relationships with UNESCO but would “campaign for a reversal of its politicization.” This action was endorsed by the B’nai B’rith Board of Governors at its annual meeting here today.

Blumberg said B’nai B’rith would appeal to UNESCO’s 40-member Executive Board when that body meets in Paris next May. Such an appeal, he said, is bolstered by the boycott of UNESCO programs by leading scientists, artists, musicians, academicians and others “until the agency re-affirms its non-political character.” He called the boycott “the most effective counter-sanctions” to compel a UNESCO reversal.

A similar view was expressed by Dr. William Korey, head of B’nai B’rith’s UN office, Korey said Congressional proposals to out off U.S. allocations to UNESCO “are useful in sensitizing public opinion but the money itself is easily replaced by Arab oil wealth.” He added, “The loss of cultural and intellectual leaders is not. Without their support and involvement, UNESCO loses its purpose as a non-political force for universality and intellectual cooperation in the promotion of culture and becomes an irrelevant body.”

Resolutions adopted by the B’nai B’rith Board of Governors included a call for government regulations to safeguard democratic institutions from subversion by “any massive infusions of Arab oil and other cartel money” into the U.S. economy. Such regulations might be needed to prevent any large take-over of newspapers, broadcasting stations and other media with recycled petro-dollars, the Board declared.