Trump's decision to move U.S. embassy to Jerusalem will 'ignite the peace process': Israel's UN Amb.
More than 120 United Nations member countries voted overwhelmingly to condemn President Donald Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and recognize the city as the official capital of Israel, despite threats from the U.S. to pull funding from the world body.
Among the countries that voted in favor of the U.S. resolution are many traditional U.S. allies, including the United Kingdom and France.
Trump is the first U.S. president to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The decision to move the U.S. embassy has been lambasted by the likes of Palestine and other Arab and Muslim states.
“It was a tough day, but we are very grateful to have a good friend like Ambassador Haley. We are very proud of the decision of the president. I am used to seeing the bashing of Israel at the U.N., but today was the bashing of Israel and the United States,” Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said during an interview with FOX Business’ Charles Payne on Thursday.
The U.S. has long supported moving its embassy in Israel. The original Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 called for the U.S. embassy to move to Jerusalem by 1999, but every president since Bill Clinton has delayed the move.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley addressed the assembly, saying “the United States will remember this day in which it was singled out for attack in the general assembly for the very act of exercising our right as a sovereign nation. We will remember it when we are called upon once again to make the world’s largest contribution to the United Nations.”
The U.S. is the largest contributor to the U.N. regular budget, contrbuting 22% for 2017, or $610.8 million.
Danon says he believes other countries will follow suit with the U.S. and move their embassies to Jerusalem and that Trump’s decision will actually “ignite the peace process” in Israel.