128 nations defy Trump

Nine voted against and 35 abstained in vote for UN resolution

NEW YORK: More than 100 countries defied President Donald Trump and voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for the United States 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 resolu- tion 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 United States said it was ”singled out for attack” at the United Nations over Jerusalem, which holds Muslim, Jewish and Christian holy sites.

“The United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercis- ing our right as a sovereign nation,” US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, told the 193-member General Assembly.

Earlier this month, Trump reversed decades of US policy by announcing the United States 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 recognize Israeli sovereignty over the full city.

The vote was called at the request of Arab and Muslim countries. The United States, backing its ally Israel, vetoed the resolution on Monday in the 15-member UN Security Council.

The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favor of the Egyptian-drafted resolution, which did not specifically mention the United States or Trump but which expressed “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem”. — Reuters