PARIS (Reuters) - Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosni, who said last year he was ready to burn Israeli books, failed Tuesday to become the next head of the U.N. culture and education body, losing out to a Bulgarian diplomat. Irina Gueorguieva Bokova, a former foreign minister, won the fifth and final round of voting by 31 to 27 in a ballot that laid bare bitter divisions within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Given little chance of victory before the vote, Bokova will become the first woman to head the Paris-based body if, as expected, its 193 member states validate the result next month. “I will use all good ideas and we will work together,” the 57-year-old career diplomat said after the ballot. However, sources within UNESCO said the bruising contest risked leaving its mark, with accusations of heavy handed lobbying and foul play hanging in the air. “It became very conflictive. As delegates, we were very concerned about the reputation of UNESCO,” said Homero Aridjis, a delegate from Mexico. Hosni, 71, was favourite to become the Arab world’s first UNESCO director-general, but his candidacy created outrage amongst Jewish organizations, while media rights activists accused him of turning a blind eye to censorship in Egypt. His supporters said Tuesday’s vote was a missed opportunity to send a positive signal to the Muslim world. Continua…