Jerusalem: UN resolution rejects Trump's declaration

Rushcourt71

The UN General Assembly has decisively backed a resolution effectively calling on the US to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The text says that any decisions regarding the status of the city are "null and void" and must be cancelled.

The non-binding resolution was approved by 128 states, with 35 abstaining and nine others voting against.

It came after US President Donald Trump threatened to cut financial aid to those who backed the resolution.

Following the vote, state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the US was exploring "various options" and no decisions had yet been made.

How did UN members vote?

◾The nine who voted against the resolution were the US, Israel, Guatemala, Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo

◾Among the 35 abstaining were Canada and Mexico

◾Those voting in favour included the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council (China, France, Russia and the UK) as well as key US allies in the Muslim world

◾There were 21 countries who did not turn up for the vote

What is so contentious about Jerusalem's status?

The status of Jerusalem goes to the heart of Israel's conflict with the Palestinians.

Israel occupied the east of the city in the 1967 Middle East war and regards the entire city as its indivisible capital.

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.

What does the UN resolution say?

The 193-member UN General Assembly held the rare emergency special session at the request of Arab and Muslim states, who condemned Mr Trump's decision to reverse decades of US policy earlier this month.

The Palestinians called for the meeting after the US vetoed a Security Council resolution that was similar to the text approved on Thursday.

The text put forward by Turkey and Yemen does not mention the US, but expresses "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem".

It also says "any decisions and actions which purport to have altered the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council".

What do Israel and the Palestinians say?

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised to reject the results of the vote, calling the UN a "house of lies".

Afterwards he said in a statement: "Israel thanks President Trump for his unequivocal position in favour of Jerusalem and thanks those countries that voted alongside Israel, alongside the truth."

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the vote "a victory for Palestine".

How does the US see it?

In a speech before the vote, US permanent representative Nikki Haley stressed that the US decision did not prejudge any final status issues, and did not preclude a two-state solution if the parties agreed to that.

"The United States will remember this day, on which it was singled out for attack in the General Assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation," she said.

"America will put our embassy in Jerusalem. That is what the American people want us to do. And it is the right thing to do. No vote in the United Nations will make any difference on that."

On Wednesday, Mr Trump warned he might cut financial aid to states who voted in favour of the resolution.

"They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us," he said. "Well, we're watching those votes," he added. "Let them vote against us. We'll save a lot. We don't care."

Will Trump act in retaliation?

The result of the UN General Assembly vote was inevitable: the US knew that the majority of states would vote for the resolution. But there may have been slightly more abstentions and votes against than had been expected - which will be some comfort to the Trump administration.

There's little surprise in the countries that voted against - the likes of Micronesia, Nauru and Togo had nothing to gain from voting against the interests of the US, which helps support them.

Canada, Mexico and Poland were amongst those that abstained, in a move that will do nothing to harm their relations with the US.

The votes for the resolution from powerful US allies, such as France, Germany and the UK, could be seen as a slap in the face for President Trump - but all would argue that they simply voted in line with the existing status quo at the UN. There was no pressing reason for them to switch from this stance.

But the real test of the vote will be whether the Trump administration acts on its threats to reconsider financial aid to some of those who backed the resolution. Key, too, will be whether the resolution will give fresh impetus to the protests against the US decision that have been going on ever since it was announced, but have yet to really catch fire.

(Full Story at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-42446027)

kaustubhkirti

Trump has done more harm to the Middle East process by keeping a hawkish policy. However with recent rapprochement of Israel with KSA, UAE and Oman it seems Iran is going to be the main focus of fight and even the Middle East nations might forget Palestine for some time.

Rushcourt71

kaustubhkirti 3-11-2018 10:58 AM
Trump has done more harm to the Middle East process by keeping a hawkish policy. However with recent ...

What do you mean by hawkish policy?

Can you also expound on your other points one by one as well please.

kaustubhkirti

Rushcourt71 4-11-2018 02:43 AM
What do you mean by hawkish policy?

Can you also expound on your other points one by one as well ...

Policy can be hawk or a dove. Dove is more of a peacenik collaborative policy. Hawkish is muscular, confrontative and more of hard power based.

Following are few of the policy which Trump has taken since January 2017 which has undone lot of things that Obama has achieved -
1) KSA - was the first foreign country Trump visited after becoming President and signed 200 billion dollar arms sale destabilising the balance between KSA and Iran. Mute response towards the murder of Jamal Khashoggi By Mohammad Bin Salman has aggrevated problems.

2) Iran - destroying the JCPOA agreement of 2015 and heavy sanctions on Iran strting Nov 2018 will push Iran more towards developing nuclear weapons. Due to this oil has touched 88$ barrel and world is suffering

3) Turkey - Fight over Syrian refugees, Turkish support to Iran and over Kurdi rebels policy has forced Turkey into arms of Russia. Moreover the failed coup against Erdogan in May 2016 by Golem who is assumed to be a US CIA pawn is further aggrevating situation. US has imposed sanctions after Turkey bought S-400 which India is buying from Russia. Due to sanctions Lira has falled by 70% and economy is in ruins right now

4) Syria - No end to the war in sight. Bashar Al Asad (Shia head of Syria) is fighting with Russia and Russia is selling S-400 to them also. Bashar Al Asad has an alliance with Iran. He is fighting Israel on one side and KSA on other. US is also supporting Kurdis who are fighting Iran, Iraq, ISIS, SYria and Turkey. US is also supporting Israel against Lebanon, Iran, Assad and the Free Syrian Army of KSA. So you can well imagine what is happening in Syria.

5) Yemen - Mute response to the KSA attack on Yemeni civilians. Currently large part of Yemen is controlled by Iran and Syria backed Houthi rebels. Houthi Rebels are fighting against KSA and Yemen government. Lot of civilians are dying but US has chosen not to intervene

6) Afghanistan - 60% of Afghanistan has fallen under Taliban control yet Trump is not recogning that Taliban is now a political relality. Next year 2019 is Afghanistan election it is expected that by that time Trump should ask Taliban to fight constitutionally.

7) Palestine - Extremely hawkish policy after shifting US embassy to Jerusalem. This is too much inclined towards Israel policy. Trump has also objected Palestine joining INTERPOL and as you mentioned in the article is name calling countries who vote against US in UN in favour of Palestine on various issues.

8) United Nations - US has left UNESCO and UN HUman Rights COuncil after they recognised Palestine or Palestine Territories. Trump has also cut down on UN funds and threatened its existnce. Currently 25% UN budget is born by US or allies

There are many more but the Middle East is being pushed to more deadly cocktail. US is finding this convinient because
1) arms sale is up
2) it controls military bases in KSA, Qatar, Bahrain, Syria, Afghanistan
3) control China by sitting right in its backyard

Rushcourt71

kaustubhkirti 4-11-2018 10:32 AM
Policy can be hawk or a dove. Dove is more of a peacenik collaborative policy. Hawkish is muscular ...

Thanks for your detailed reply.

I now have a better idea of your thoughts and opinions on the issue.