PARIS, Dec 13: Palestinians raised their flag at the headquarters of the UN cultural agency in Paris on Tuesday as the agency’s 195th member, a historic move and symbolic boost for their push for an independent state.

Cheers rose as the red, black, white and green flag went up in pouring rain under the gaze of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Unesco Director-General Irina Bokova. She welcomed Palestine without mentioning the US funding cutoff that its membership prompted and that is hobbling the organisation.

“This is truly a historic moment,” Abbas said later at an indoor ceremony, his speech punctuated by rousing applause and standing ovations. He said he and the Palestinian people were deeply moved that their flag could join the 194 others at the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, headquartered in a massive concrete structure on Paris’ Left Bank.

“We hope this will be a good auspice for Palestine to become a member of other organisations,” he said.

The Palestinians plan to join all international organisations it is entitled by Unesco membership to enter, Abbas said later at a news conference, putting the number at 16.

“But we will choose the right moment and the right situation. We want the moment to be propitious,” he said, refusing to say when that might be.

Palestine was admitted as a member of Unesco in an Oct. 31 vote that prompted the United States to cut off funds to the agency — $80 million annually in dues, or 22 per cent of Unesco’s overall budget. With the US 2011 contribution not yet paid, Unesco was immediately thrown into crisis.—AP