UNESCO executives voted Monday to make an Egyptian ex-antiquities minister the UN culture body’s next leader, as it grapples with accusations of pro-Israel bias that prompted the United States to say it would quit the organisation.

The board voted to appoint Khaled el-Enany, Egypt’s former antiquities and tourism minister, to replace French director-general Audrey Azoulay after her two four-year terms in office.

The United States did not take part in the vote, having announced its future withdrawal from the organisation, which is best known for designating world-famous heritage sites.

Enany, 54, has said he would seek to bring back the United States — which contributes eight percent of UNESCO’s overall funding — into the organisation.

“The current challenge is the budget. That is going

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