UN General Assembly to hold emergency meeting on Jerusalem status

The 193-member United Nations General Assembly will hold a special emergency session on the status of Jerusalem on December 21.

The meeting was convened at the request of Arab and Muslim countries. Palestinian envoy to the United Nations Riyad Mansour said the UN General Assembly will vote on a draft resolution demanding the withdrawal of President Donald Trump's declaration recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The draft resolution was previously vetoed by the US at the UN Security Council.

Jerusalem Holy Land. Photo: Reuters

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the vetoed draft resolution was aimed at protecting US sovereignty and the US role in the Middle East peace process.

Ms. Haley also criticized the draft resolution as an insult to Washington and a disgrace to the members of the Security Council. The other 14 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the draft resolution drafted by Egypt. Mr. Riyad Mansour hoped that although this vote is not binding, it will be politically meaningful.

Under a 1950 resolution, a special emergency meeting is called for the UN General Assembly to consider a matter with a view to making appropriate recommendations to members for collective measures in the event the Security Council fails to act.

Only 10 such meetings have been held, with the last one being held in 2009 on occupied East Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories. The December 21 meeting will follow the 2009 meeting./.

According to VOV