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India Votes Against US Decision on Jerusalem at United Nations

Jerusalem
A total of 128 countries backed the resolution, nine voted against and 35 abstained.
Jerusalem
A total of 128 countries backed the resolution, nine voted against and 35 abstained.

New Delhi: India on Thursday voted in favor of the UN resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital despite immense pressure from close allies, US and Israel.

Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favour. A total of 128 countries backed the resolution, nine voted against and 35 abstained.

After Trump’s announcement on December 6 that the U.S. recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, New Delhi had said that “India’s position on Palestine is independent and consistent. It is shaped by our views and interests, and not determined by any third country.”

However, India voted with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Maldives, in favor of the resolution. The US was isolated as there were only nine votes against the resolution including its own and Israel’s. Interestingly, Bhutan is among the 35 countries — along with Canada, Australia and Mexico — to have abstained. Another 21 nations just didn’t show up for the vote.

After the voting process the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley tweeted, “America will put our embassy in Jerusalem. No vote in the United Nations will make any difference on that. But this 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.”

Jerusalem

Before the resolution was tabled Haley tweeted that the US will be taking names.

“At the UN we’re always asked to do more and give more. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American people, about where to locate our embassy, we don’t expect those we’ve helped to target us. On Thursday there’ll be a vote criticizing our choice. The US will be taking names,” she said.

Later, Haley sent an invitation to the 65 countries who didn’t vote against the United States in the U.N. General Assembly vote to denounce President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The invitation to the January 3 reception marked a symbolic step of the U.S. taking note of who supports the country and who doesn’t.

The 193-member body voted to support the long-standing international consensus that the status of Jerusalem –claimed by Israel and the Palestinians as a capital — can only be settled as an agreed final issue in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.