PLO official accuses US of acting like a “mafia” over UN vote on US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
Official PA TV, special broadcast, hosting PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi
Official PA TV host: “In everything related to the [UN General Assembly] meeting tomorrow [Dec. 21, 2017, about US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital], according to the media outlets there are threatening messages from Washington to the states that will vote tomorrow at the UN General Assembly.”
PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi: “This is cheap and very shameful extortion. Undoubtedly this [US Ambassador to the UN] Nikki Haley - I don’t know who appointed her as the world’s police officer. She undoubtedly told the states in closed meetings, and afterwards stated in her Twitter account, that ‘We will be following the vote of every state and I will submit a report to the president [Trump], and when you submit a request for aid or any type of special request, we will settle accounts with you over your vote now’ (See note below –Ed.). In other words, this very cheap and shameful extortion, the threat, and the warning are befitting of a state whose nation has declined, whose international level - whose rhetorical, ethical, political, and legal level [has declined] to this level. It acts as if it is a mafia. Therefore, the states are more angry than afraid of this threat. [Haley] attacked the UN and said: ‘No one has the right to dictate to the US where it will put its embassy.’ OK, I for example want to put my American embassy in Montreal, is that possible? In the same manner, no one will tell Israel where its embassy (sic., capital) is. We want our capital in London. We will go and occupy Britain and we want our embassy in London – is that possible? There is law, there are principles, and there are decisions of the international community.”
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations.
On Dec. 19, 2017, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley posted on her Facebook page this statement regarding a UN General Assembly vote on Dec. 21, 2017, on a resolution condemning US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and decision to transfer the US embassy to Jerusalem, which he announced on Dec. 6, 2017: "At the UN we're constantly asked to do more and give more - in the past we have. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American people, about where to locate OUR embassy, we don't expect those we've helped to target us. On Thursday there will be a vote at the UN criticizing our choice. And yes, the US will be taking names. #TakingNames."
Haley also sent a message to other UN member states: "As you consider your vote, I want you to know that the President and U.S. take this vote personally. The President will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us."
The next day, Trump backed her statements and indicated there would be financial consequences for those countries in terms of US aid, saying: "Let them vote against us, we'll save a lot."
Official PA TV host: “In everything related to the [UN General Assembly] meeting tomorrow [Dec. 21, 2017, about US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital], according to the media outlets there are threatening messages from Washington to the states that will vote tomorrow at the UN General Assembly.”
PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi: “This is cheap and very shameful extortion. Undoubtedly this [US Ambassador to the UN] Nikki Haley - I don’t know who appointed her as the world’s police officer. She undoubtedly told the states in closed meetings, and afterwards stated in her Twitter account, that ‘We will be following the vote of every state and I will submit a report to the president [Trump], and when you submit a request for aid or any type of special request, we will settle accounts with you over your vote now’ (See note below –Ed.). In other words, this very cheap and shameful extortion, the threat, and the warning are befitting of a state whose nation has declined, whose international level - whose rhetorical, ethical, political, and legal level [has declined] to this level. It acts as if it is a mafia. Therefore, the states are more angry than afraid of this threat. [Haley] attacked the UN and said: ‘No one has the right to dictate to the US where it will put its embassy.’ OK, I for example want to put my American embassy in Montreal, is that possible? In the same manner, no one will tell Israel where its embassy (sic., capital) is. We want our capital in London. We will go and occupy Britain and we want our embassy in London – is that possible? There is law, there are principles, and there are decisions of the international community.”
US recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel - On Dec. 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and instructed the State Department to begin preparations to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump added that the final borders of Jerusalem will be determined during negotiations.
On Dec. 19, 2017, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley posted on her Facebook page this statement regarding a UN General Assembly vote on Dec. 21, 2017, on a resolution condemning US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and decision to transfer the US embassy to Jerusalem, which he announced on Dec. 6, 2017: "At the UN we're constantly asked to do more and give more - in the past we have. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American people, about where to locate OUR embassy, we don't expect those we've helped to target us. On Thursday there will be a vote at the UN criticizing our choice. And yes, the US will be taking names. #TakingNames."
Haley also sent a message to other UN member states: "As you consider your vote, I want you to know that the President and U.S. take this vote personally. The President will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us."
The next day, Trump backed her statements and indicated there would be financial consequences for those countries in terms of US aid, saying: "Let them vote against us, we'll save a lot."