U.S. Ambassador
Nikki Haley threatens U.N. member states with possible retaliation if they support a resolution criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
UNITED NATIONS — U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley threatened U.N. member states with possible retaliation if they support a resolution criticizing Washington’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, saying President Donald Trump takes Thursday’s vote “personally” — and the U.S. “will be taking names.”
Haley’s warning letter to most of the 193 U.N. member states and threatening tweet Wednesday drew criticism from the Palestinian and Turkish foreign ministers who are flying to New York for the General Assembly vote. They accused the U.S. of intimidation.
Trump supported Haley’s message and told reporters at a Cabinet meeting in Washington that opponents are likely to face a cutoff in U.S. funding.
“For all these nations, they take our money and then vote against us. They take hundreds of millions of dollars, even billions of dollars and then they vote against us,” Trump said. “We’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”
The Palestinians sought the General Assembly vote after the United States on Monday vetoed a resolution supported by the 14 other U.N. Security Council members that would have required Trump to rescind his declaration on Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and not move the U.S. Embassy there.
Unlike the Security Council, assembly resolutions are not legally binding but they do reflect world opinion.
In Wednesday’s letter, reportedly sent to more than 180 countries, Haley said the Trump administration is “simply asking that you acknowledge the historical friendship, partnership, and support we have extended and respect our decision about our own embassy.”
“The president will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us,” she wrote in the letter. “We will take note of each and every vote on this issue.”
Her tweet was sharper: “At the UN we’re always asked to do more & give more. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American ppl, abt where to locate OUR embassy, we don’t expect those we’ve helped to target us. On Thurs there’ll be a vote criticizing our choice. The US will be taking names.”
This was not the first time that Haley threatened to keep track of U.S. opponents.
On Jan. 27, the day she arrived at the United Nations as ambassador, Haley announced a new way the United States would be doing business. The Trump administration’s goal is to show U.S. strength, speak out, and defend its allies — and as for countries opposing America, “We’re taking names,” she said.
The letter on the vote was the first time since then that Haley vowed to compile a list.
Her action recalled to some veteran U.N. diplomats the run-up to the Iraq War in 2002 when then-President George W. Bush launched a campaign against France and other opponents of military action who refused to support a Security Council resolution to authorize war. The resolution, which former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was pressing for and the U.S. backed, was withdrawn by Britain because it was certain to be defeated as a result of council opposition.
What action the United States might take against countries that vote for Thursday’s General Assembly resolution remains to be seen.
The resolution is cosponsored by Turkey, chair of the summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Yemen, chair of the Arab Group at the U.N.
Before Haley’s letter and tweet, Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour said he expected “massive support” in the assembly.
The resolution that will be put to a vote is similar to the defeated Security Council resolution.
It reaffirms 10 Security Council resolutions on Jerusalem, dating to 1967, including requirements that the city’s final status must be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
It “affirms that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered, the character, status or demographic composition of the holy city of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded.”
The draft resolution “demands that all states comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the holy city of Jerusalem, and not to recognize any actions or measures contrary to those resolutions.”