Why US exiting UNESCO over world hetitage status to Palestine site surprises none

The recent US withdrawal from UNESCO, stemming from the allegedly contentious inscription of the Palestinian World Heritage Site of Hebron, comes as no surprise. As Prof Lynn Meskell, a prominent researcher at Stanford University, points out, "UNESCO and the US have had a contentious history, often mired in conspiracy, politics and isolation." In the latest controversy, the US has echoed Israel's stand that the inscription of Hebron as a Palestinian site effaces

Despite the standing debt of $550 million it owes UNESCO, the US continues to inscribe sites on its World Heritage List and reap the benefits of this status. The US has 23 sites on the World Heritage List, the last of which was inscribed in 2015 and an additional 20 sites on the Tentative List for future nomination (10 in 2017); Israel has 9, the last inscribed in 2015 and 18 on the Tentative List. Palestine has three sites, inscribed in 2012, 2014 and 2017 with 13 on the Tentative List. Is this an 'anti Israel position', as stated in the US state department letter to the DG, UNESCO, or is it just simply an attempt to allow Palestine a 'status of equality' as outlined in UNESCO's role? The US has inscribed sites since 2011 without paying any dues. It must be regretting that it did not file any nomination in 2017, and has lost the chance of another unpaid inscription in June 2018 before it becomes a non member observer effective December 31, 2018. This status will impact the 20 tentative nominations in the country.