US warns over Jerusalem vote

Dar es Salaam. The United States has issued a fresh threat following an overwhelming UN vote against recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Thursday.

From the East African Community (EAC), only Tanzania and Burundi voted in favour of the UN resolution, while Kenya stayed away. Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda are among the 35 nations that abstained from the vote.

Togo is the only African country that sided with the US. Its position comes as a surprise given that the African Union had put out a position that others like Tanzania have backed.

Nine countries voted against the UN resolution at an emergency session of the body’s General Assembly on Thursday. Tanzania has already reiterated that it sides with the greater international community in recognizing Tel Aviv as the capital of Israel.

“Some countries have tried to convince. We will remain in Tel Aviv,” Foreign Affairs minister Augustine Mahiga was quoted in the press as saying early this month.

But the US yesterday issued yet another warning saying it will be “taking names” of countries that let it down following its latest embarrassing defeat at the UN.

President Trump had earlier threatened to cut aid to UN members who would vote against his decision.

Underscoring the significance of the defeat, US ambassador Nikki Haley had warned that Trump would be watching and that she would be “taking names” of countries who let him down. France -- along with other key US allies like Britain, Turkey and Saudi Arabia -- voted to censure Trump.