The United Nations decision to not recognize Jerusalem as a capital of Israel condemns Trump’s decision, even when United States threatens to pull out funding from the world body.
128 countries voted for resolution 9 voted “no” 35 abstained, including Canada, Mexico and Australia
“The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in this assembly,” Haley said. “We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world’s largest contribution” to the UN and when other member nations ask Washington “to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit.”
As Haley stated, United States will put its embassy in Jerusalem regardless of the vote. Haley’s stance provoked a fiery tweet from John Brennan, who served as a CIA director under President Obama: “Trump Admin threat to retaliate against nations that exercise sovereign right in UN to oppose US position on Jerusalem is beyond outrageous. Shows @realDonaldTrump expects blind loyalty and subservience from everyone—qualities usually found in narcissistic, vengeful autocrats.”
The US was joined by Israel, and a few small nations, including Micronesia, Nauru, Togo, and Tonga, Palau, the Marshall Islands, Guatemala and Honduras on the count to say “no” as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had thanked Trump and the countries that abstained, in a statement,
“Israel rejects the decision of the United Nations and, at the same time, we show gratitude to the high number of countries that abstained from this resolution,” Netanyahu said. “Israel thanks President Trump on his unequivocal position in favor of Jerusalem and thanks other countries that voted together with Israel, together with the truth.”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a self-proclaimed leader of the greater Muslim world, criticized the President during the speech in Ankara on Thursday.
“Mr. Trump, you cannot buy Turkey’s democratic free will with your dollars, our decision is clear,” Erdogan thundered.
“What is the cradle of democracy doing,” Erdogan said. “They are looking for people they can buy with their dollars.” And he issued an appeal to other world leaders, saying, “do not, for the sake of a few dollars, sell off your democratic free will.”
The decision has destroyed the Washington’s ability to act as a mediator in peace talks and with only a few allies by its side.
“What does this decision serve?” asked Ambassador Riyad Mansour. “It serves the Israeli government in implementing its colonial plans. It serves the powers of extremism … Does the United States not wonder why it stands isolated,” Mansour asked, “and why even its closest allies couldn’t turn a blind eye to this decision?”
“The world is not for sale,” said Venezuela’s representative to the UN, Samuel Moncada Acosta, “and your threats imperil global peace.”
“This decision is an outrageous assault to all universal values,” Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. “This is bullying,” he said of the US approach. “We will not be intimated.” And addressing the US directly, he added, “you can be strong, but this doesn’t make you right.”
Maleeha Lodi, the Pakistani representative to the UN, said, “we regret and reject” the decision. “We must uphold the prevalent and time-honored norms, both legal and moral,” she said. The world “cannot and will not be complicit in any illegal activity.”
Any decision in which alters character, status or demographic composition of Jerusalem should “have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council,” it reads.
“A University of Maryland Critical Issues poll released December 1 found that 63% of Americans oppose moving the embassy to Jerusalem, including 44% of Republicans. The pollsters questioned 2,000 people and had a margin of error of 2.19%.”
“A December 13 Monmouth University poll that found Trump at record low approval ratings also found that 39% of Americans thought moving the embassy to Jerusalem was a bad idea, while only 23% thought it was a good idea. Some 51% of respondents said it would lead to greater regional instability, while 10% said it would make the region more stable.”