On Monday, they became a full member of the U.N. cultural and educational agency. As a result, U.S. lawmakers have threatened to withhold roughly $80 million in annual funding to UNESCO if it approved Palestinian membership. Currently, the United States provides some 22 percent of UNESCO’s funding.

Huge cheers went up in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization after delegates approved the membership in a vote of 107-14 with 52 abstentions. Eighty-one votes would have been required for approval in a hall with 173 UNESCO member delegations present.

The United States, Canada and Germany voted against Palestinian membership while, Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and France voted in favor. Britain abstained.

Meanwhile, the NGO, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions has presented the United Nations with a case that Israel targeted Palestinians by demolishing homes, revoking residency and spoiling the quality of life. Israel made no comment.

Since Saturday, Israel has been under a constant salvo of grad missiles. With upwards of ten Israeli civilians killed and dozens wounded.

As a result of Israel’s response, 12 Palestinians have been killed, all of them members of the terrorist organization, Al Ahrar and Islamic Jihad and among them one of the group’s chief bomb makers. Islamic Jihad has vowed revenge saying ‘Our response shall be in the depths of the Zionist entity.’