The General Assembly of the UN voted this week to condemn the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The vote was 128 to 9, but many countries either did not show up for the meeting or abstained, so there were 65 countries who did not vote against the USA. The 2 to 1 margin in favor of the resolution is actually a pretty good showing for the US in a resolution directed towards attacking Israel at the UN. Still, the USA had to watch countries like the UK, France, Germany, Japan and South Korea vote against us at the UN. Sure, the resolution is toothless and meaningless, but it is nevertheless a symbolic action by these allies (and many others) that is a slap in the face to the USA. We need to consider the real impact of the vote.
1. Voting for fiction over reality is in fashion in world diplomacy. Think about it. For each of the countries that have diplomats in Israel, there are certain realities. If the ambassador has to present his credentials to the president of Israel, the ambassador has to go to the residence on the president in Jerusalem. If the ambassador wants to meet with the political leaders or foreign ministry personnel, that ambassador has to do so in Jerusalem. If there is a need to go to court, the appeals are heard in the Supreme Court in -- you guessed it -- Jerusalem. Nearly the entire structure of the Israeli government is in the capital which is Jerusalem. The idea that nations refuse to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital is the rough equivalent of countries' deciding not to recognize Washington as the capital of the USA. Suppose France decided to put its embassy in Philadelphia since that was the first capital. It wouldn't affect the reality that Washington has been our capital for over 200 years. To put that in context, Jerusalem has been the capital of a Jewish state off and on for the last 3000 years. No vote in the UN will change that.
2. The threat by President Trump to cut foreign aid to countries that voted against the US in this vote ought to be carried out. Just imagine how some of the countries to whom we send millions would feel if they lost 15% due to this vote. There's an old expression the "money talks". Maybe it's time for the USA to let our money do the talking.
1. Voting for fiction over reality is in fashion in world diplomacy. Think about it. For each of the countries that have diplomats in Israel, there are certain realities. If the ambassador has to present his credentials to the president of Israel, the ambassador has to go to the residence on the president in Jerusalem. If the ambassador wants to meet with the political leaders or foreign ministry personnel, that ambassador has to do so in Jerusalem. If there is a need to go to court, the appeals are heard in the Supreme Court in -- you guessed it -- Jerusalem. Nearly the entire structure of the Israeli government is in the capital which is Jerusalem. The idea that nations refuse to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital is the rough equivalent of countries' deciding not to recognize Washington as the capital of the USA. Suppose France decided to put its embassy in Philadelphia since that was the first capital. It wouldn't affect the reality that Washington has been our capital for over 200 years. To put that in context, Jerusalem has been the capital of a Jewish state off and on for the last 3000 years. No vote in the UN will change that.
2. The threat by President Trump to cut foreign aid to countries that voted against the US in this vote ought to be carried out. Just imagine how some of the countries to whom we send millions would feel if they lost 15% due to this vote. There's an old expression the "money talks". Maybe it's time for the USA to let our money do the talking.
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