NEW YORK – More than 100 countries defied President Donald Trump on Thursday and voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution calling for the U.S. to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favour.
A total of 128 countries backed the resolution, nine voted against and 35 abstained.
Trump’s threat appeared to have some impact, with more countries abstaining and rejecting the resolution than usually associated with Palestinian-related resolutions.
Nevertheless, Washington found itself isolated on the world stage as many of its Western and Arab allies voted for the measure.
Ahead of the vote, the U.S. said it was “singled out for attack” at the UN over Jerusalem, which holds Muslim, Jewish and Christian holy sites.
“”The U.S. will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation.”
“We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world’s largest contribution to the UN.
““And so many countries come calling on us, as they so often do, to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit,” U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, told the 193-member General Assembly.
Earlier this month, Trump reversed decades of U.S. policy by announcing the U.S. recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and would move its embassy there.
The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, who were furious over Trump’s move.
The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the full city.
The vote was called at the request of Arab and Muslim countries.
The U.S., backing its ally Israel, vetoed the resolution on Monday in the 15-member UN Security Council.
The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favour of the Egyptian-drafted resolution, which did not specifically mention the U.S. or Trump but which expressed “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem.”
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan says UN Jerusalem vote showed dignity, sovereignty ‘not for sale’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the UN as a “house of lies” ahead of the vote.”
“The State of Israel totally rejects this vote, even before (the resolution‘s) approval,” Netanyahu said in a speech in the port city of Ashdod.
(Reuters/NAN)
