The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, rejected the Trump administration’s decision to recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as Israel’s new capital, by a 128-9 votes. Despite threats by US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley and Donald Trump, threatening to stop funding countries who vote against the decision, diplomats gathered in New York City and approved a nonbinding resolution calling on countries to avoid moving their embassies to Jerusalem. Nikki Haley had said:
“The United States 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 we are called upon to once again make the world’s largest contribution to the United Nations. And we will remember it when so many countries come calling on us, as they so often do, to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit.”
Among the countries that voted in favor of the resolution are many traditional U.S. allies, including the United Kingdom and France. Israel, which celebrated Trump’s decision earlier this month, joined the U.S. in voting against the measure. Thirty-five countries abstained, including U.S. allies Canada and Australia. Mexico, Togo and a host of other countries, stayed away from voting as well. Nigeria, Russia and China voted against the US, in favor of the resolution not to move embassies from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem.
Even though they voted against the resolution, it still won’t change the fact that Jerusalem is still the capital of Isreal. This is more of a political statement than anything else. These are the countries who voted for, against and stayed away from the decision:
