The United States announced Tuesday it will again pull out of the UN's educational, scientific and cultural agency (UNESCO) because of what Washington perceives as its anti-Israel bias.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the withdrawal was linked to UNESCO's perceived agenda to "advance divisive social and cultural causes."

Bruce said in a statement that UNESCO's decision "to admit the 'State of Palestine' as a Member State is highly problematic, contrary to US policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization."

The UN agency "supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November," said Anna Kelly, White House assistant press secretary.

UNESCO's director general Audrey Azoulay said the decision from Washington is "deeply" regrettable but the cultural organization "has prepared for it."

She also denied accusations of anti-Israel bias, saying the claims "contradict the reality of UNESCO's efforts, particularly in the field of Holocaust education and the fight against antisemitism."

Has the US withdrawn from UNESCO before?

UNESCO has become one of several battlegrounds between Israel and the Palestinian Authority as Palestinians seek to gain recognition through international bodies and treaties despite warnings from Israel and the United States.

Israel and the US argue that Palestine should not join international bodies or treaties until it reaches full statehood under an elusive peace deal with Israel.

The UN cultural body is best known for its World Heritage program. It also promotes education and culture, including programs on Holocaust awareness.

The United States previously withdrew from UNESCO in the 1980s, accusing it of a pro-Soviet bias, before rejoining in 2003.

The US withdrew again during Donald Trump's first term as US president.

Under the Joe Biden administration, the US rejoined UNESCO two years ago.

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko