12/20/2017

FOREIGN POLICY/ISRAEL/PALESTINE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/UN: “President Donald Trump on Wednesday [12-20-17] threatened to cut American aid to countries that back a United Nations resolution faulting the recent U.S. decision to declare Jerusalem Israel’s capital…
The U.N. General Assembly will meet Thursday in an emergency session to vote on a measure the U.S. blocked earlier this week at the Security Council, which called on the Trump administration to rescind its decision to move the embassy and recognize Jerusalem as the capital. The measure had the support of all other members of the Security Council, including U.S. allies France and the U.K.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said Tuesday evening that the U.S. “will be taking names” at Thursday’s General Assembly vote…
In Thursday’s vote, the U.N. resolution, sponsored by Egypt, is expected to pass with a wide majority of the body’s 196 nations voting in favor, according to diplomats.
Ms. Haley sent an email to ambassadors of U.N. member states on Tuesday saying she would report to Mr. Trump about any countries voting in favor of the resolution…
Mr. Trump, speaking alongside cabinet members, singled out Ms. Haley and her message to U.N. member states for praise…
The resolution up for vote on Thursday doesn’t directly name the U.S. or Mr. Trump. It reaffirms the status of Jerusalem as a disputed area and says all parties and individuals must rescind any unilateral decision on its status and to refrain from moving their diplomatic missions to the holy city.
Mr. Trump’s warning to slash American aid holds potential implications for key U.S. allies. Egypt, which introduced the draft resolution, is slated to receive $1.38 billion in U.S. aid in 2018.”

-Felicia Schwartz and Farnaz Fassihi, “Trump Threatens Countries That Oppose His Decision on Jerusalem,” The Wall Street Journal online, Dec. 20, 2017 04:40pm