Iran, Turkey lash ‘thuggish’ Trump after UN vote
Tehran’s Zarif calls success of motion a repudiation of US administration’s ‘intimidation’; Erdogan says he expects president to reverse Jerusalem decision
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Officials in Iran and Turkey celebrated the passage of a UN resolution condemning US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital Thursday, saying it represented a resounding repudiation of Washington
“A resounding global NO to Trump regime’s thuggish intimidation at #UN,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted after the vote.
A resounding global NO to Trump regime's thuggish intimidation at #UN.
— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) December 21, 2017
The measure passed by a wide margin of 129-8 with 35 abstentions, with most countries paying little heed to the Trump administration’s threats to cut aid to countries that voted for the measure.
Trump defied global warnings on December 6, announcing long-sought recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and promising to transfer the US embassy there, saying the move was merely recognition of reality and would not prejudge final status issues.
The emergency General Assembly session Thursday came after a similar resolution was vetoed by the US in the Security Council earlier this week.
The non-binding resolution passed Thursday rejected and expressed “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem,” and called on countries to not establish embassies in the city.
After the vote, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Trump to reverse his decision, after criticizing the US leader for making threats over the resolution.
“We welcome with great pleasure the UN General Assembly’s overwhelming support… We expect the Trump administration to rescind without further delay its unfortunate decision, whose illegality has been clearly established,” Erdogan said on Twitter.
We welcome with great pleasure the UN General Assembly’s overwhelming support for a historic resolution on Al-Quds Al-Sharif. We expect the Trump administration to rescind without further delay its unfortunate decision, whose illegality has been clearly established by UNGA.
— Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (@RTErdogan) December 21, 2017
Erdogan had earlier called on UN member states not to be swayed by Trump’s warning he would cut funding for countries that backed the motion at the UN General Assembly.
“I am calling on the whole world: never sell your democratic will in return for petty dollars,” he had said in a televised speech in Ankara before the vote.
Trump had warned that Washington would closely watch how nations voted, suggesting there could be reprisals for countries that backed the motion which was put forward by Yemen and Turkey on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries.
Erdogan accused Trump of trying to spend his way out of diplomatic trouble.
“How do they call America? The cradle of democracy. The cradle of democracy is seeking to find [good]will in the world that can be bought with dollars,” he said. “Mr. Trump you cannot buy with dollars Turkey’s democratic will. Our decision is clear.”
The Times of Israel Community.