Yesterday, President Trump threatened to cut foreign aid to countries that vote in the UN for a resolution condemning his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley echoed President Trump’s sentiment preceding the UN vote today:

“I like the message that Nikki sent yesterday at the United Nations for all of these nations that take our money and then they vote against us at the Security Council, or they vote against us potentially at the [General] Assembly,” he said about US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley.

She had said a day earlier that the US would be “taking names” of countries that voted for the resolution.

“They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Well, we’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us, we’ll save a lot. We don’t care,” Trump said during a cabinet meeting at the White House.

The president contended that American officials don’t even know what foreign countries do with the money the US sends them. –NYP

Today, the Independent UK reported that the UN General Assembly voted 128-9 to declare US President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “null and void”.

The vote, while a victory for the Palestinians, was significantly lower than its supporters had hoped for, with many forecasting at least 150 “yes” votes. There were a total of 35, while 21 nations did not turn up for the vote.

Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the result, his spokesman saying: “The vote is a victory for Palestine.

“We will continue our efforts in the United Nations and at all international forums to put an end to this occupation and to establish our Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.”

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley tweeted the vote tally, saying “68 countries refused to condemn the United States and 128 voted against us.”

There were 35 abstentions

Haley also tweeted a message to thank the nations who stood behind President Trump. Her message included a list of those nations who stood by President Trump and his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel:

Here’s a close up look at the list:

Ambassador Haley also made clear the decision of the U.S. to move forward with its plans to move the embassy to Jerusalem:

Ms Haley said “no vote in the United Nations will make any difference” on the U.S. decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem, which will go ahead because “it is the right thing to do.”

She said “the United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very right of exercising our right as a sovereign nation.”

“We will remember it when we are called upon once again to make the world’s largest contribution to the United Nations,” she says. “And we will remember 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.”

Ms Haley said the vote “will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN, and this vote will be remembered.”

Israel’s prime minister says he completely rejects the “preposterous” UN resolution declaring the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as “null and void.”

Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video posted to Facebook that Jerusalem “always was, always will be” Israel’s capital. He also says he appreciates that “a growing number of countries refuse to participate in this theatre of the absurd.”

Mr. Netanyahu also thanked President Donald Trump for his “stalwart defense of Israel.”

 

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