US threat over UN vote
US Ambassador Nikki Haley threatened United Nations member states with retaliation if they support a resolution criticising Washington’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, saying President Donald Trump takes the vote “personally” and the US “will be taking names”.
Ms Haley’s warning letter to most of the 193 UN member states and threatening tweet drew sharp criticism from the Palestinian and Turkish foreign ministers who were flying to New York for the General Assembly vote. They accused the US of intimidation.
Mr Trump supported Ms Haley’s message and told reporters at a Cabinet meeting in Washington that opponents could face a cut-off in US funding.
“For all these nations, they take our money and then vote against us. They take hundreds of millions of dollars, even billions of dollars and then they vote against us,” Mr Trump said. “We’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”
The Palestinians sought the General Assembly vote after the US on Monday vetoed a resolution supported by all the 14 other UN Security Council members that would have required Mr Trump to rescind his declaration on Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and not move the US Embassy there.
In the letter, reportedly sent to more than 180 countries, Ms Haley said the Trump administration was “simply asking that you acknowledge the historical friendship, partnership, and support we have extended and respect our decision about our own embassy”.
This is not the first time Ms Haley has threatened to keep track of US opponents. On January 27, the day she arrived at the UN as ambassador, she announced a new way the US would be doing business. She said the Trump administration’s goal was to show US strength, speak out, and defend its allies — and as for countries opposing America, “We’re taking names”.
What action the US might take against countries that vote for the General Assembly resolution overnight remains to be seen.
The resolution is co-sponsored by Turkey, chair of the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Yemen, chair of the Arab Group at the UN.
Before Ms Haley’s letter and tweet, Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said he expected “massive support” in the assembly. AFP