UN vote on Trump’s Jerusalem decision positive sign for Palestinians, Egypt says
The vote was passed with 128 countries in favour, nine against, and 35 abstentions.
Presidency spokesperson Bassam Rady told Al-Ahram Arabic news website on Sunday that this international consensus is “unprecedented,” especially when it comes to the Palestinian issue.
Rady said that there had previously been camps for and against, but that this latest overwhelming support, even from Britain – the architect of the Balfour declaration, which paved the way for the creation of Israel – is a good sign for the Palestinian cause.
Following Trump’s decision, Egypt presented a draft resolution to the Security Council on behalf of Arab countries that would have required the US to reverse its decision.
The resolution was vetoed by the US after gaining support from all 14 other members of the Security Council, including key US allies Britain, France, Italy, Japan, and Ukraine.
Rady stressed that the General Assembly vote was achieved through an Egyptian initiative following the US veto in the Security Council.
“Egypt is looking to capitalise on this momentum through dialogue with members of the international community,” he added.
The spokesman said that Egypt’s stance against the US declaration on Jerusalem is consistent with its historic commitment to the Palestinian cause, of which Jerusalem is a vital part, adding that Egypt “will never abandon the Palestinian cause.”
Egypt has long maintained its support for the establishing of a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Source: Ahram online
