UN General Assembly to hold emergency session on Jerusalem

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The United Nations General Assembly will hold an emergency special session on Thursday after the United States vetoed an Egypt-drafted resolution which targeted to make the United States withdraw its decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Xinhua News Agency reported citing UN sources.

Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour also expressed hope that the General Assembly will vote on a draft resolution calling for US President Donald Trump's declaration to be withdrawn as well, sources said.

The United States on Monday vetoed a Security Council draft resolution on the status of Jerusalem.

All other 14 members of the Security Council voted in favor of the Egypt-drafted text. But as the United States, which is a permanent member of the Security Council, has veto power, the draft resolution failed to be adopted.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (R, front) vetoes a UN Security Council draft resolution on the status of Jerusalem at the UN headquarters in New York, on December 18, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

The General Assembly rarely holds emergency sessions and Thursday's meeting will be a resumption of that session, sources said.

Mansour and several Arab countries' officials have met with UNGA President Miroslav Lajcak after the United States vetoed the draft resolution, sources said.

President Trump on December 6 announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, prompting violent protests across the Middle East, Europe, and beyond.

UN Resolution 377 states that the General Assembly can call an emergency session to consider a matter "with a view to making appropriate recommendations to members for collective measures," if the Security Council fails to act.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency