Palestinian Authority slams US veto of UN Jerusalem resolution

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has described the United States' veto of a UN draft resolution on Monday as 'unacceptable.'

MENA

1 min read

The New Arab & agencies

19 December, 2017

A Palestinian spokesman described the US veto as 'unacceptable' [Getty]

The Palestinian Authority has slammed the US veto of a draft UN resolution against President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital as "unacceptable."

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the veto was "unacceptable and threatens the stability of the international community because it disrespects it."

The 14 other countries on the Security Council voted in favour, however US Ambassador Nikki Haley exercised the American veto.

Nabil Abu Rudeina told AFP in Arabic that the support for the resolution, which included US allies France, Italy and Japan, "showed the (American) isolation. The international community must work now to protect the Palestinian people."

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu immediately thanked Haley for her stance.

"Thank you, Ambassador Haley," he posted on his official Twitter account. :Truth defeated lies. Thank you, President Trump. Thank you, Nikki Haley."

Trump's December 6 announcement that he would recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the American embassy there from Tel Aviv has faced heavy international criticism.

People of Palestine see the eastern part of the city as the capital of their future state.