Christian UN envoy urges Trump to cut UNESCO funding over resolution disputing Israel's claim to Jerusalem

A Christian special envoy to the U.N. has urged Trump to cut funding for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) after it declared Israel's sovereignty over Jerusalem to be "null and void."

On Tuesday, the Steering Committee of UNESCO voted to adopt a resolution that declared all the legislative and administrative measures taken by Israel regarding the character and status of Jerusalem as null and void.

The resolution, titled "Occupied Palestine," was submitted by Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar and Sudan, according to Western Journalism.

Twenty-two nations voted in favor of the resolution, while 23 others abstained. Only 10 countries, including the United States, opposed the resolution, which also labeled Israel as an "occupying power" due to its presence in Jerusalem.

Laurie Cardoza-Moore, the Special United Nations Envoy for the World Council of Independent Christian Churches, denounced the resolution as a "blatant anti-semitic statement," noting that the vote took place on Israel's Independence Day.

"UNESCO's vote to deny the Jewish people's sovereignty over Jerusalem on Israel's Independence Day is not a coincidence. It is a blatant anti-Semitic statement," Cardoza-Moore stated.

"It is also an outrageous attack on millions of Jews and Bible-believing Christians worldwide who recognize that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel and the Jewish people and has been for over 3,000 years," she added.

Cardoza-Moore called on the U.N. Secretary General to condemn the "absurd vote in the highest of terms." vote. She also urged U.S. President Donald Trump to cut funding for UNESCO and move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to express its support for Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also denounced the resolution and vowed to cut $1 million in payments to the U.N.

"In the wake of the resolution, I have instructed Foreign Ministry Director-General Yuval Rotem to deduct $1 million from the funds that Israel transfers to the UN. Israel will not sit by while the organization calls for the denial of our sovereignty in Jerusalem," the Prime Minister said, as reported by Times of Israel.

This was not the first time Netanyahu had announced the slashing of payments to the U.N. In December, he ordered to cut $6 million from Israel's payment to the organization after the Security Council passed a resolution calling on the Jewish state to cease all settlement activities in the West Bank. The Prime Minister cut an additional $2 million in March after the Human Rights Council approved five anti-Israel resolutions.