UN Security Council slams US on Jerusalem WH FUMES AS CNN SHOWS WRONG SHAH

City, Dec. 9: Retaliatory Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed two Hamas militants on Saturday, as unrest simmered across the Palestinian territories over US President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

A total of four people have now been killed and dozens wounded since Trump announced his deeply controversial decision which drew criticism from every other member of the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting on Friday.

There were fresh clashes on Saturday as Palestinian protesters in the occupied West Bank hurled stones at Israeli troops who responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds.

In Gaza, mourners vented their anger at the funeral of one of two people killed by Israeli troops during clashes at the border fence on Friday. There have been fears of a much larger escalation of violence after Hamas leader Ismail Haniya called for a new Palestinian intifada or uprising and analysts have been anxiously watching what happens next. Dozens of protesters were wounded by rubber bullets or live fire in clashes in the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem that followed the main weekly Muslim prayers on Friday. Saturday’s pre-dawn air strike on a base of Hamas’s military wing in Nusseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, was one of several, the Israeli military said. It followed three rocket attacks Friday night from Gaza into southern Israel.

“Today... in response to the rockets fired at Israeli communities on Friday, Israel air force targeted four facilities belonging to Hamas in the Gaza Strip,” the army said. — AFP Washington, Dec. 9: The United States on Saturday stood isolated in the powerful UN Security Council as the member nations cornered it on the decision of President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Even its closest allies and partners like Britain and France came out openly lambasting it for the decision.

US envoy to the UN Nikki Haley was the sole voice supporting Mr Trump’s decision on Jerusalem during an emergency meeting held by the 15-membered powerful body of the UN this afternoon.

“We disagree with the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and to begin preparation to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“It is not in line with Security Council resolutions and is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region,” said Permanent Representatives of Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and Sweden in a joint statement.

The status of Jerusalem, they said, must be determined through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians leading to a final status agreement.

It is a constant position of EU members that, within this framework, Jerusalem should ultimately be the capital of both Israeli and Palestinian states. Until then, we recognise no sovereignty over Jerusalem, the five members of the UN Security Council said. Britain and France are the permanent members of the Security Council. — PTI Washington, Dec. 9: The Trump administration on Saturday hit out at CNN after the news broadcaster displayed a picture of Indian-origin exObama administration appointee Rajiv Shah, confusing him with White House press official Raj Shah.

White House spokesperson Sarah Sanders slammed CNN for the faux pas. “@CNN this is definitely not @RajShah45 but it is #FakeNews,” she said in a tweet posting a screen shot of the mistake. — PTI