US cornered on Jerusalem move in UN
9 Dec 2017 5:10 PM GMT
Washington: The United States stood isolated in the powerful UN Security Council as the member nations cornered it on the decision of President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Even its closest allies and partners like Britain and France came out openly lambasting it for the decision.
US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley, was the sole voice supporting Trump's decision on Jerusalem during an emergency meeting held by the 15-membered powerful body of the UN this afternoon.
"We disagree with the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and to begin preparation to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
"It is not in line with Security Council resolutions and is unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region," said Permanent Representatives of Britain, France, Italy, Germany, and Sweden in a joint statement.
The status of Jerusalem, they said, must be determined through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians leading to a final status agreement.
It is a constant position of EU members that, within this framework, Jerusalem should ultimately be the capital of both Israeli and Palestinian states. Until then, we recognise no sovereignty over Jerusalem, the five members of the UN Security Council said.
Britain and France are the permanent members of the Security Council.
The emergency meeting was presided over by the Ambassador of Japan, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for December.
Strongly defending Trump's decision, Haley told the UN Security Council that the US took the step in "full knowledge that it will raise questions and concerns". "Our actions are intended to help advance the cause of peace. We must recognise that peace is advanced, not set back, when all parties are honest with each other. Our actions reflected an honest assessment of reality," she said.
"The US recognises the obvious that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. Trump has instructed the State Department to begin the process of relocating the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. That is what the President has done," Haley said.
She said the US has not taken a position on borders, and the sovereignty issue should be decided by Israelis and Palestinians through negotiations.
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