Trump issues UN Jerusalem vote threat
UNITED NATIONS - US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to withdraw financial aid from countries that backed a United Nations resolution rejecting US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
"They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us," Trump told reporters at a cabinet meeting in the White House.
"We're watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We'll save a lot. We don't care," he added.
Trump's remarks came after the US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley's said that "the US will be taking names" of those criticizing the US decision at the UN General Assembly.
Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, tweeted after Trump's comments: "Our government should not use its leadership at the UN to bully/blackmail other nations that stand for religious liberty and justice in Jerusalem."
The UN General Assembly was scheduled to meet for a rare emergency session to discuss the status of Jerusalem on Thursday after the US had earlier vetoed an Egypt-drafted request asking Washington to withdraw its decision to recognize the city as Israel's capital.
The US on Monday vetoed a Security Council draft resolution on the status of Jerusalem.
All other 14 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the Egyptian-drafted text. But as the US, which is a permanent member of the council, has veto power, the draft resolution failed to be adopted.
Before the vote, Egyptian ambassador to the UN Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta explained that the draft resolution seeks to ensure that any attempts to alter the characteristics or demographic composition of the Old City of Jerusalem have no effect and are null and void, and must be rescinded.
The draft resolution also calls on all parties not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, he said.
Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour said his country hoped that the General Assembly would draft a resolution urging the US move to be withdrawn.
On Dec 6, Trump declared that the US recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and will move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, triggering outrage in the Arab and Muslim world.
Xinhua - Ap
(China Daily 12/22/2017 page11)
