Erdogan urges world 'not to be bought' by Trump's dollars in Jerusalem vote

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the world not to be swayed by US leader Donald Trump's threat to cut off financial funding if they defy his Jerusalem stance.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

21 December, 2017

Turkey - Erdogan cant be bought by US dollars

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday called on the world not to be swayed by US leader Donald Trump's threat to cut off financial funding, during a key vote on a motion rejecting US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

"I am calling on the whole world: never sell your democratic will in return for petty dollars," he said in a televised speech in Ankara.

His comments come as Israel and the US continue their furious efforts to persuade countries to back Trump’s position, amid predictions that more than 150 of the 193 countries in the general assembly could vote against it.

The two leaders have been accused of bullying and blackmail, as Trump threatened to cut funding to countries that vote against the US on the motion.

"They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us," Trump said at the White House.

"Well, we're watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We'll save a lot. We don't care."

US Ambassador Nikki Haley had warned countries that she will report back to Trump with the names of those who support a draft resolution rejecting the US decision.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu dubbed the United Nations a "house of lies" on Thursday ahead of the vote.

"The State of Israel rejects outright this vote, even before it passes," he said at a ceremony in southern Israel.

"The attitude to Israel of many nations in the world, in all the continents, is changing outside of the UN walls, and will eventually filter into the UN as well – the house of lies," he said.

He reiterated that "Jerusalem is the capital of Israel whether the UN recognises it or not" and that Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel "is overdue."

"It took 70 years for the US to officially recognise it and it will take more years until the UN also recognises it," the Israeli leader said.

The draft resolution will mirror the vetoed measure, reaffirming that any decision on the status of Jerusalem has no legal effect and must be rescinded.