US to take names during UN vote on Jerusalem

UNITED NATIONS, UNITED STATES — US Ambassador Nikki Haley yesterday warned countries that she will report back to President Donald Trump with the names of those who support a draft resolution rejecting the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The UN General Assembly will hold an emergency session Thursday to vote on the proposed measure that the United States vetoed at the Security Council.

"The president will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us," said the letter from Haley seen by AFP.

"We will take note of each and every vote on this issue," she wrote to several UN ambassadors.

On Twitter, Haley posted on Twitter that "the US will be taking names" during the vote on Thursday at the 193-nation assembly.

Turkey and Yemen requested the urgent meeting on behalf of the Arab group of countries and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

The two countries circulated a draft resolution on Tuesday that mirrors the vetoed measure, reaffirming that any decision on the status of Jerusalem has no legal effect and must be rescinded.

Egypt had put forward the draft at the council which was backed by all 14 other Security Council members in the vote on Monday.

Like the Egyptian draft, the text before the assembly does not mention Trump's decision but expresses "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem."

Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour said he expected "overwhelming support" for the measure stating that Jerusalem is an issue "to be resolved through negotiations" between Israel and the Palestinians.

"The General Assembly will say, without the fear of the veto, that the international community is refusing to accept the unilateral position of the United States," Mansour told reporters.