Negative Vote by U.S. – Security Council Fails to Adopt Resolution on Jerusalem
The United Nations Security Council on Monday failed to adopt the draft resolution that reflects regret among the body’s members about “recent decisions regarding the status of Jerusalem,” with a negative vote by the United States.
The text, tabled by Egypt, reiterated the United Nations’ position on Jerusalem and would have affirmed “that any decisions and actions which purport to have altered, the character, status or demographic composition of the Holy City of Jerusalem have no legal effect, are null and void and must be rescinded in compliance with relevant resolutions of the Security Council.”
The text would also have called on all States “to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the Holy City of Jerusalem.”
[ Also Read: Arab Muslim World Rejects Trump’s Jerusalem Decision ]
A negative vote – or veto – from one of the Council’s five permanent members – China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States – blocks passage of a resolution.
Therefore, the draft was rejected despite support from the other four permanent members and from the 10 non-permanent members.
The vote followed a briefing by Nickolay Mladenov, Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace process, who said that the Israel-Palestinian conflict has not seen significant positive moves towards peace during the reporting period from 20 September to 18 December.
He said that the security situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory has become more tense in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision on 6 December to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, citing an increase in incidents, notably rockets fired from Gaza and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces.
Earlier, the Extraordinary Islamic Summit, on 13 December 2017 in Istanbul, called on the United States of America to revoke its decision to recognize Al-Quds (the Arabic name for the city of Jerusalem) as capital of Israel.
The Islamic leaders condemned and rejected Trump decision to relocate the American embassy in the city.
In its Final Communiqué, the Summit held the U.S. administration fully responsible for any repercussions of it refusing to disavow this unlawful decision, taking it as a clear desertion by the Trump Administration of its role as peace broker.
The Summit also dismissed the decision as a gift to Israel for its continuous renouncement of agreements and blatant breach to international legitimacy.
