UN slaps down Trump over Jerusalem
DONALD Trump suffered an embarrassing rebuke last night as the United Nations passed a resolution rejecting his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Some 128 nations including Britain, France, and Saudi Arabia approved the motion.
Just nine countries including the US and Israel were against the non-binding resolution – and 35 abstained including Canada and Mexico. Applause rang out through the UN General Assembly in New York when the results were announced.
Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, attacked those who defied Mr Trump.
She said: ‘The US will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation. We will remember it when so many countries come calling on us, as they so often do, to pay even more’. Mr Trump had previously threatened to cut off aid to any country who voted against him.
But it made little difference as nation after nation backed the UN statement, which called for the President to reverse his declaration from December 6 which said America was recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocating its embassy there.
A statement on behalf of the UK and other European nations said they will ‘continue to respect the international consensus’ and said they ‘strongly believe the status quo must be upheld’.