Trump Threatens To Hit Them Where it Hurts if They Vote Against Jerusalem -(from JewishPress.com)

Photo Credit: WhiteHouse.gov

U.S. President Donald J. Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump warned allies and others Wednesday they could lose their foreign aid if they vote in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution on Thursday slamming his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The warning came during a news conference with journalists at the White House in advance of the emergency special UNGA session called at the request of Arab and Muslim-majority nations.

“They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us,” Trump said, according to Reuters. “Well, we’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley likewise warned select American allies and others in a letter she sent on Wednesday, “To be clear, we are not asking that other countries move their embassies to Jerusalem . . . but simply asking that you acknowledge the historical friendship, partnership, and support we have extended and respect our decision about our own embassy… The president will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those who voted against us.”

Haley's Letter:
“As you know, the General Assembly is considering a resolution about President Trump’s recent decision on Jerusalem,” her letter reads. “As you consider your vote, I want you to know the President and the U.S. take this vote personally.
“Twenty-two years ago, the U.S. Congress declared that Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of Israel, and that the U.S. embassy should be moved to Jerusalem. President Trump affirmed that declaration by officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. However, the President’s announcement does not effect (sic) final status negotiations in any way, including the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem,” the letter continued.
“The President also made sure to support the status quo of Jerusalem’s holy sites, and did not advocate changes to arrangements at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.
“The U.S. announcement is an acknowledgment that peace is best advanced, not set back, when all parties are honest with each other about the basic fact that Jerusalem has been the capital of Israel since the country’s founding nearly seventy years ago. The President clearly voiced support for a two-state solution if that’s what the parties agree to and the U.S. commitment to peace.
“I know that many in the General Assembly are also committed to the cause of peace and I ask that you consider whether a GA resolution contributes to the heated rhetoric and violence.
“To be clear, we are not asking that other countries move their embassies to Jerusalem . . . but simply asking that you acknowledge the historical friendship, partnership, and support we have extended and respect our decision about our own embassy.
“The president will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those who voted against us. “Thank you for your consideration, and please do not hesitate to contact my team with any questions or concerns.
My very best,
Nikki
Nikki R. Haley | Ambassador and Permanent Representative