U.S. vetoes UN resolution against Jerusalem decision

NEW YORK — The United States on Monday vetoed a resolution supported by the 14 other United Nations Security Council members that would have required U.S. President Donald Trump to rescind his declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a vote that showed the depth of global opposition to the U.S. move.

The United States was certain to veto the Egyptian-sponsored resolution, but its Arab supporters wanted the vote to demonstrate that countries everywhere — and even such U.S. allies as Britain, France and Japan — are against Trump’s action.

The Palestinians immediately announced that they will seek a resolution with similar demands in the 193-member General Assembly, where there are no vetoes. But unlike the Security Council, the assembly’s resolutions are not legally binding.

Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters after meeting with the General Assembly president that he expects a vote this week. He said he hopes for “overwhelming support” telling the Trump administration that the international community doesn’t accept the U.S. position, which he said violates international law and Security Council and General Assembly resolutions.

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley called the Security Council resolution “an insult” that won’t be forgotten, saying the United Nations forced the U.S. to cast a veto simply because of its right to decide where to put its embassy. She said the veto — the first cast by the U.S. in more than six years — was done “in defence of American sovereignty and in defence of America’s role in the Middle East peace process.”

Trump shattered decades of unwavering U.S. neutrality on Jerusalem on Dec. 6 when he declared that the United States recognizes the divided holy city as Israel’s capital and will move its embassy there. Trump insisted that after repeated peace failures, it was past time for a new approach.

The status of Jerusalem has been a central issue in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.