After UN condemnation, Trump must reflect on policy direction
The United Nations’ overwhelming vote to condemn the United States’ decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital – 128 countries voted to condemn, nine voted against and 35 abstained – would never have happened had President Trump shown understanding of and respect for world opinion.
It is an undisputed fact that Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and was then condemned by the international community for annexing the territory.
Jerusalem is not just important for Jews; it is also one of the three most important cities in Islam, after Mecca and Medina, while Christians also consider it the birthplace of their religion.
The world community has come to expect the US superpower to show fair-mindedness and non-partisanship over the 70 years following World War II. So far, so good.
But the Trump administration should reflect on its behaviour over the past year to discover what went so terribly wrong as to culminate in this week’s overwhelming condemnation at the UN General Assembly.
Chavalit Wannawijitr
Chiang Mai
