Trump's decision, veto on Jerusalem isolates Washington, harms Mideast peace
- by Thibaud Popelin
- in Monde
- — Déc 20, 2017
The United States on Monday vetoed a resolution supported by the 14 other U.N. Security Council members that would have required U.S. President Donald Trump to rescind his declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a vote that showed the depth of global opposition to the U.S. move.
Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın also said Tuesday that Turkey would resume intense efforts until Thursday for the Jerusalem decision to be accepted at the U.N. General Assembly.
Haley's comments came at the monthly UN Security Council meeting discussing the Mideast, which came one year after the body adopted anti-settlement resolution 2334.
Nasir explained that if the total 193 UN member states support the resolution, it will be a political statement that the global community rejects the United States' plan to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. They demand to establish an independent state along the border of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital.
"The fact that this veto is being done in defence of American sovereignty and in defence of America's role in the Middle East peace process is not a source of embarrassment for us; it should be an embarrassment to the remainder of the Security Council", Haley said. However, President Trump has told the USA state department to start work on moving the U.S. embassy. "We will not make that mistake again".
In her speech earlier before the voting, Haley affirmed that the U.S.is still committed to the two-state solution and that relocating the embassy does not necessarily mean recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital.
For decades, the United States has been brokering peace negations between its number one regional ally Israel and the Palestinians, yet the recent USA moves on Jerusalem raised further doubts about the US integrity, fairness and non-bias as a Middle East peace mediator.
Palestinians' political aspirations came after the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory in 1967.
To pass, a UNSC resolution needs nine votes in favor and zero vetoes from its permanent members - the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China.
The UN General Assembly will hold an emergency session Thursday to vote on the proposed measure that the United States vetoed at the Security Council.
After that vote, Haley described the 14-1 vote "an insult" and warned "it won't be forgotten".
