Reuters :
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the United Nations as a ‘house of lies’ ahead of a vote on Thursday on a draft resolution
calling on the United States to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
‘The State of Israel totally rejects this vote, even before (the resolution’s) approval,’ Netanyahu said in a speech at a hospital dedication in the port city of Ashdod.
The 193-member UN General Assembly will hold a rare emergency special session on Thursday at the request of Arab and Muslim countries to vote on the draft resolution, which the United States vetoed on Monday in the 15-member UN Security Council.
Generating outrage from Palestinians and the Arab and Muslim world, and concern among Washington’s Western allies, President Donald Trump abruptly reversed decades of US policy on December 6 when he recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Palestinians have protested daily in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip since Trump’s announcement, throwing stones at security forces and burning tyres. Gaza militants have also launched sporadic rocket fire.
Eight Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire during the demonstrations and dozens wounded, Palestinian health officials said. Two militants were killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza after a rocket attack.
Trump threatened on Wednesday to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favour of the U.N. draft resolution, and his ambassador to the world body, Nikki Haley said the United States ‘will be taking names’. Netanyahu, in his speech, thanked Trump and Haley for ‘their brave and uncompromising stance’. He repeated his prediction that other countries would eventually follow Washington’s lead in pledging to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the United Nations as a ‘house of lies’ ahead of a vote on Thursday on a draft resolution
calling on the United States to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
‘The State of Israel totally rejects this vote, even before (the resolution’s) approval,’ Netanyahu said in a speech at a hospital dedication in the port city of Ashdod.
The 193-member UN General Assembly will hold a rare emergency special session on Thursday at the request of Arab and Muslim countries to vote on the draft resolution, which the United States vetoed on Monday in the 15-member UN Security Council.
Generating outrage from Palestinians and the Arab and Muslim world, and concern among Washington’s Western allies, President Donald Trump abruptly reversed decades of US policy on December 6 when he recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Palestinians have protested daily in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip since Trump’s announcement, throwing stones at security forces and burning tyres. Gaza militants have also launched sporadic rocket fire.
Eight Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire during the demonstrations and dozens wounded, Palestinian health officials said. Two militants were killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza after a rocket attack.
Trump threatened on Wednesday to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favour of the U.N. draft resolution, and his ambassador to the world body, Nikki Haley said the United States ‘will be taking names’. Netanyahu, in his speech, thanked Trump and Haley for ‘their brave and uncompromising stance’. He repeated his prediction that other countries would eventually follow Washington’s lead in pledging to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
