The Guardian: US Will “Take Names of Those Who Vote to Reject Jerusalem Recognition”

The United Nations is an organization where small and less powerful nations can speak out against the powerful. A letter by Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the United States, could be regarded as patronizing at best and bullying at worst. She warned UN members that she would be “taking names” of countries rejecting Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel. Jerusalem, controlled by Israel since 1967, is a sensitive issue. The Palestinian president said he no longer regarded the United States as honest broker, and the Palestinian ambassador described Jerusalem as an issue “to be resolved through negotiations” between Israel and the Palestinians, reports Peter Beaumont for the Guardian. “The Trump administration’s heavy-handed approach to foreign policy – often in breach of both international consensus and diplomatic niceties – has alienated even close allies.” The United States had vetoed a similar measure approved 14 to 1 in the UN Security Council. The draft resolution before the general assembly would declare such recognition as “null and void” and calls on member states to comply with existing Security Council resolutions. Trump defied international consensus, and Haley’s demands could backfire as UN members find strength in numbers. – YaleGlobal