US veto resolution on Jerusalem at UN

The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution rejecting US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

14 other Council members voted to back the draft resolution submitted by Egypt.

The resolution's text expresses “deep regret for Mr. Trump's statement this month that recognised Jerusalem as the capital and announced the beginning of the American Embassy's shift from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Professor of the history of Randolph-Macon College Michael Fishbach told the Voice of America that Mr. Trump's decision overturned the previous US policy that had been going on for decades, as well as “consensus global” against recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

“Since the year '67 Israel controlled the entire city, but in the international community there was consensus that until the Arab-Israel conflict was finally resolved and peacefully, no country would prejudge the outcome of what would happen to Jerusalem, because the UN's original decision was to be held as an international area,” said Fischbach.

Lord Trump declared earlier this month that his decision was a “recognition of reality” that Jerusalem is not only the historic capital of the Jewish people but also the capital of modern Israel. Israeli leaders welcomed his actions, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said that having Jerusalem as Israel's capital, this marked the “theel of peace”.

The Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future state. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said last week that his side would no longer accept a US role in the peace process. He spoke at a rally of Arab leaders, where many others condemned Trump's decision as illegal.

The European Union reiterated its position that a realistic solution between Israelites and Palestinians is the formula of two states, with Jerusalem as the capital of both.