SL says yes to anti-US resolution at UN

• Majority vote against US move to make Jerusalem capital of Israel

 Sri Lanka last night joined 128 countries to overwhelming vote in support of a UN General Assembly resolution declaring the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel “null and void”.

The UN resolution titled ‘Status of Jerusalem’ was adopted with 128 voting for it and nine against it. There were 35 abstentions.

The outcome yesterday at the UN is a major victory for the global movement against the US move despite President Donald Trump threatening many. 

A Reuters report said US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favour of a draft United Nations resolution calling on the United States to withdraw its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The 193-member UN General Assembly held a rare emergency special session on Thursday - at the request of Arab and Muslim countries - to vote on a draft resolution, which the US vetoed on Monday at the 15-member UN Security Council.

The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favour of the Egyptian-drafted resolution, which did not specifically mention the US or Trump but which expressed “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem.”