U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favor of a draft United Nations resolution against his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
“They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Well, we’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
The 193-member U.N. General Assembly will hold a rare emergency special session on Thursday at the request of Arab and Muslim countries on the controversial U.S. decision.
WATCH: Donald Trump announces Jerusalem to be recognized as the capital of Israel
Despite urgent appeals from Arab and European leaders and the risk of anti-American protests and violence, on Dec. 6, Trump announced he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Trump declared that he was ending an approach that for decades has failed to advance the prospects for peace. He said recognition acknowledged the “obvious” that Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s government despite the disputed status that is one of the key elements in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
— With files from the Associated Press