Israel to leave UNESCO over 'attacks' on Jewish state

JERUSALEM – Israel has announced it is leaving UNESCO citing the U.N. cultural agency's "systematic attacks" on the Jewish state.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said Friday that the decision was based on the organization's "attempts to disconnect Jewish history from the land of Israel." He said the official letter of departure will be submitted before the year's end and that Israel will leave the organization by the end of 2018.

Israel has long complained of perceived anti-Israel bias within the U.N., where Israel and its allies are far outnumbered by Arab countries and their supporters.

The U.S withdrew from UNESCO earlier this year citing similar reasons.

Recent resolutions by the organization outraged many Israelis who viewed them as diminishing the deep Jewish ties to Jerusalem and the biblical city of Hebron.