Bokova affirmed to AJC her position that, to remain effective and prevent politicization of her agency's mandate, the UNESCO board should return to the longstanding custom of taking action by consensus, rather than by majority vote.

At its most recent meeting, the UNESCO board's Arab bloc proposed a package of five resolutions on the status of Jewish biblical sites and other issues in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Arab bloc had insisted on a quick vote, and, as has become customary in UN agencies, the anti-Israel language prevailed by majority vote.

"Director General Bokova clearly recognizes the danger of UNESCO's politicization on Middle East issues, which could render this important body ineffective," said Jason Isaacson, AJC director of government and international affairs. Isaacson first met Bokova last year when she was a candidate for the UNESCO post.

"We urged Director-General Bokova to exert all necessary energy toward restoring consensus rule, to assure that U.S., Israeli and other allies' concerns are duly respected on contentious matters,” said Isaacson. “She expressed her full support for this position as the only workable approach for a multilateral agency that must cooperate with member states to carry out its work."

Joining Isaacson in the meeting was AJC France Director Simone Rodan. They discussed with Bokova a range of educational and scientific exchange programs in the Middle East that include Israeli participation and fall within UNESCO's mandate.

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