Canada abstained Thursday from a U.N. General Assembly resolution criticizing the United States for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel and for deciding to move its embassy there.
The resolution passed 128-9, with 35 abstentions.
The government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the Liberal Party, represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland, said, “Canada’s longstanding position is that the status of Jerusalem can be resolved only as part of a general settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute,” according to The Hill. Freehand criticized the resolution as one-sided.
Citing “Western diplomats,” Israeli reporter Barak Ravid tweeted that Canada had considered opposing the resolution but did not want to be perceived as too aligned with the U.S. after President Donald Trump threatened to cut off aid to countries that voted to criticize the U.S.
BREAKING: Canada considered voting against the UNGA resolution on Trump’s Jerusalem announcement but changed vote to abstention after hearing Trump’s threats in order not to be perceived as US puppet, Western diplomats tell me
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) December 21, 2017
UN Ambassador Nikki Haley had warned earlier in the week that the U.S. would be “taking names” in the vote.
At the UN we’re always asked to do more & give more. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American ppl, abt where to locate OUR embassy, we don’t expect those we’ve helped to target us. On Thurs there’ll be a vote criticizing our choice. The US will be taking names. pic.twitter.com/ZsusB8Hqt4
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) December 19, 2017
Trudeau’s Conservative Party predecessor, Stephen Harper, was noted for being one of Israel’s best friends on the world stage.
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He was named one of the “most influential” people in news media in 2016. He is the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.
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