General News of Saturday, 23 December 2017

Source: classfmonline.com

Israel disappointed in Ghana over Jerusalem

Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Ami Mehl Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Ami Mehl

Israel has expressed its disappointment in Ghana for voting in favor of a UN resolution to reject Donald Trump’s declaration to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

“The Embassy of the State of Israel in Ghana, therefore, regrets the mistaken vote of Ghana against the State of Israel during the Special United Nation’s (UN) General Assembly sitting on Thursday, 21 December 2017 as the assembly adopted a resolution regarding Israel’s capital Jerusalem.

“We hope such mistake will not be repeated by Ghana in subsequent motions,” a statement from the Israeli Embassy in Ghana stated.

Ghana was part of some 128 countries of the UN General Assembly that voted in favour of a resolution to impress on the US to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The non-binding resolution was approved by 128 states, with 35 abstaining and nine others voting against.

However, the Embassy said in the release that “the UN cannot dictate to Israel or any other country which of its cities it has to recognize as a capital”.

For them, the resolution is a “farce” and “meaningless from the viewpoint of International Law”.

Read the Israel Embassy’s statement below:

The vote against the United States (US) by the United Nation’s General Assembly special sitting on Thursday, 21 December 2017 is nothing but a farce. The UN cannot dictate to Israel or any other country which of its cities it has to recognise as a capital. In the same regard, the UN cannot dictate to the US or any other country whether or not to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and where to site their embassies in Israel.

This voting by the UN General Assembly is meaningless from the view point of International Law. It is therefore evident that, the Palestinians are using all forms of diplomatic efforts in international organisations to fight against Israel instead of engaging in direct negotiations with Israel for the sake of peace.

As stated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel completely rejects this resolution. Jerusalem was, is and will always remain the eternal capital of Israel.

The Embassy of the State of Israel in Ghana therefore regrets the mistaken vote of Ghana against the State of Israel during the Special United Nation’s (UN) General Assembly sitting on Thursday, 21 December 2017 as the assembly adopted a resolution regarding Israel’s capital Jerusalem. We hope such mistake will not be repeated by Ghana in subsequent motions.