- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Israel in Talks With Several States on Embassy Transfer to Jerusalem - Netanyahu

© REUTERS / Francois LenoirIsrael's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu briefs the media next to European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini (unseen) at the European Council in Brussels, Belgium December 11, 2017
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu briefs the media next to European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini (unseen) at the European Council in Brussels, Belgium December 11, 2017 - Sputnik International
Subscribe
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israel is negotiating with "several countries" the transfer of their embassies to Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday in an interview with CNN television. However, the prime minister declined to specify with which countries the talks are being held.

On December, 21 the UN General Assembly has approved a resolution that rejects US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel after 128 member states voted in favor of the move, however, nine countries voted against the resolution and 35 countries abstained. The resolution condemns both US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as well as Washington's decision to move its embassy to the ancient city.

Commenting on the UN's decision, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the United Nations as a "house of lies," saying that "the State of Israel totally rejects this vote, even before [the resolution's] approval."

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki addresses to members of delegations at the General Assembly for the vote on Jerusalem, on December 21, 2017, at UN Headquarters in New York - Sputnik International
Israel Furious, Palestine Gleeful as UN Approves Resolution on Jerusalem
However, Abu Rudeina, spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas, said Palestine enjoys the support of international community, and "no decisions made by any side could change the reality, that Jerusalem is an occupied territory under international law."

Additionally, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said before the vote to those at the meeting that Washington, the largest contributor to the international body, will remember the voting day. President Donald Trump threatened to withhold US aid to countries that voted in favor of the General Assembly resolution but stopped short of warning that US contributions to the United Nations itself would also be at stake.

READ MORE: Erdogan Says Trump Can't Buy Turkey's Will for UN Vote on Jerusalem

On December 6, Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and ordered the Department of State to take steps to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump's move has provoked the condemnation of Muslim states and prompted mass outrage across the Arab world, leading to the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist organization, announcing the beginning of the third "intifada."

READ MORE: Netanyahu Grateful for US Veto on Jerusalem Resolution, Sets Twitter Ablaze

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала