Canada abstains from UN vote to condemn Trump’s Jerusalem decision

Canada has abstained from voting on a UN resolution on Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, following threats from the U.S. that it would take votes against its position “personally.”

Thirty-four other countries, including many nations dependent on U.S. aid, joined Canada in abstaining from the United Nations General Assembly vote on Thursday. The U.S. decision has been slammed by much of the Arab world as the death knell for a Middle East peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, while it was welcomed by Israel and its supports.

Many observers criticized Canada’s decision to abstain as cowardly and unprincipled.

"Canada’s UNGA abstention on Jerusalem vote is a disgrace,” tweeted Diana Buttu, a Palestinian-Canadian lawyer and a former spokesperson for the Palestinian Liberation Organization. "Trudeau and Harper are the same when it comes to Palestine. Shame."

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state and the decision by the U.S. to recognize the city as Israel’s capital undermines those aspirations.

Israel unlawfully annexed East Jerusalem during a war in 1967.

Only nine countries voted in favour of the proposal, including Israel, the United States and a group of small pacific island nations dependent on U.S. assistance, while 128 voted against it, including the U.K. and France who joined dissenters in criticizing the U.S. move.

TAKING NAMES

In a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut off aid to countries who voted against the U.S.

"Let 'em vote against us, we'll save a lot," Trump said. "We don’t care."

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley wrote a letter to other member states saying: "The president will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us. We will take note of each and every vote on this issue."

In a statement to VICE News, a spokesperson for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada abstained from the vote because the resolution was “one sided and does not advance prospects for peace to which we aspire.”

“Canada’s long-standing position is that the status of Jerusalem can be resolved only as part of a general settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute,” said the statement. “This has been the policy of consecutive governments, both Liberal and Conservative.”

Canada’s decision is seen as an attempt to strike a balance between not irritating Trump during delicate, ongoing NAFTA negotiations, while also not alienating about 50 Muslim-majority countries that could derail Canada’s bid for a seat on the U.N. Security Council.

'CANADA IS ISOLATING ITSELF'

In a news release, NDP foreign affairs critic Helene Laverdiere called Canada’s decision to abstain “deeply disappointing.”

“Canada’s decision to abstain today, and its recent UN votes, are contrary to Canada’s own stated foreign policy on Israel/Palestine,” she said.

“At a time when Canada should be standing up for international law and promoting human rights, Canada is isolating itself. We urge the Trudeau government to uphold their own stated values, condemn illegal settlements, and finally stand up for the rights of the Palestinian people as well as the rights of Israelis. Canada has been silent on these issues for far too long.”

Botswana, one of the countries that voted in favour of the UN resolution released a statement about the vote, calling Haley’s letter "grossly threatening and inappropriate."

"Botswana will not be intimidated by such threats and will exercise her sovereign right and vote based on her foreign policy principles," said the statement.