A number of U.S. senators warned that the United States will not be taking part in financing of international organizations, which will be granting Palestine their membership status.
On Monday the United States cut off funding of UNESCO after the UN body supported Palestine's accession bid. UNESCO granted full membership to Palestine with 107 member states voted in favor and 14 against.
"This could be catastrophic for the U.S.-UN relationship. This could be the tipping point. There's a lot of bipartisan support for cutting off funding to any political UN organization that would do this. What you are going to do is eventually lose congressional support for our participation in the United Nations. That's what's at risk here,” said Lindsey Graham, top Republican on the Senate Appropriations State and Foreign Ops Subcommittee.
Senate Appropriations State and Foreign Ops subcommittee chairman Patrick Leahy said, "That's what the law requires. It's been there for 20 years and whether I support it or not, that's the law."
Most of the U.S. congressmen say that Palestine should begin seeking membership in international organizations only after the completion of peaceful talks with Israel.
Republican John McCain from the Senate Armed Services Committee said international organizations should be punished for admitting Palestine as their member.
“They've made a decision and they will pay the consequences for their decision. And that is that U.S. tax dollars are not going to be spent, if I have anything to do with it, on organizations that take the measures they've taken,” he said.
Palestinian authorities said they will be seeking membership in 16 more international organizations.
