Uganda is among the countries that abstained from the UN vote on a resolution criticizing Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The U.S. decision has been slammed by much of the Arab world as the death knell for a Middle East peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, while it was welcomed by Israel and its supports.
The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday adopted the resolution criticizing U.S. decision and process of moving its embassy there, a vote that followed warnings from the Trump administration that the U.S. would take personally any votes cast against it.
Thursday’s nonbinding resolution was adopted with 128 nations in favor, nine against and 35 abstaining. Joining the U.S. and Israel in voting against the resolution were Togo, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Micronesia, Palau, Honduras and Guatemala. Among those that abstained were Uganda, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Poland and the Philippines.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley tweeted after the vote a list of the nations that voted against the resolution or abstained, writing that “we appreciate these countries for not falling to the irresponsible ways of the @UN.”
We appreciate these countries for not falling to the irresponsible ways of the @UN: pic.twitter.com/a0hUTepD8H
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) December 21, 2017
Before votes were cast, Haley admonished the world body for its historical criticism of Israel. She said it was the expectation of the U.S., which she noted is the greatest contributor to the U.N., that its “goodwill” toward the body be met with respect, not with the condemnation wrapped into the resolution adopted Thursday.
Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state and the decision by the U.S. to recognize the city as Israel’s capital undermines those aspirations.
Israel unlawfully annexed East Jerusalem during a war in 1967.
Additional contribution by Agencies.
Reporting: Ronald Ssuna
