Trump Threatens to Sanction Countries that Oppose Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, World News Wednesday, December 20th, 2017

BALTIMORE, MD (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – US President Mr. Donald Trump has threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that back a United Nations resolution opposing the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Trump fumed: “They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us.

“Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”

Mr. Trump’s comments come ahead of a UN General Assembly vote on a resolution opposing any recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The draft resolution does not mention the US, but says any decisions on Jerusalem should be cancelled.

Earlier, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley warned member states that President Trump had asked her to report on “who voted against us” Thursday.

The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state and its final status is meant to be discussed in the latter stages of peace talks.

Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem has never been recognized internationally, and all countries currently maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv. However, President Trump has told the US state department to start work on moving the US embassy.

The other 14 members of the Security Council voted in favour of the draft, but Ms. Haley described it as an “insult”.

The non-binding resolution put forward by Turkey and Yemen for the General Assembly vote mirrors the vetoed Security Council draft.

The Palestinian permanent observer at the UN, Riyad Mansour, said he hoped there would be “overwhelming support” for the resolution.

But on Tuesday, Ms Haley warned in a letter to many of member states that encouraged them to “know that the President and the US take this vote personally”.

It would be recalled that earlier this month, Mr. Trump announced Israel as the capital of Jerusalem. The action has however drawn rejection and condemnation from the allies and foes of US.