“NULL AND VOID”

U.N. Votes to Condemn Trump’s Jerusalem Decision

Despite president’s threat to cut off aid to countries that oppose him on the matter.

The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to condemn President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite Trump’s threat to end aid to any countries that go against the White House on the matter. The nonbinding resolution declaring Trump’s decision on Jerusalem “null and void” passed in a 128-9 vote. Thirty-five of the 193 UN member states abstained from the vote, while 21 were absent. Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour hailed the resolution’s passage and took the opportunity to slam Trump and U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley for trying to persuade UN member states to vote against the resolution. “And they used unprecedented tactics, unheard of in the diplomatic work at the UN, including blackmail and extortion,” he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. On the eve of the vote, both Trump and Haley warned that the U.S. would take any vote against the White House personally. Trump has made clear the UN resolution will have no impact on his plans to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move other world leaders fear will trigger a surge in violence.