Some regional differences on the UN vote on Jerusalem after President Trump’s recognition of the city as the capital of Israel on December 21, 2017.
As the BBC reports, “A resolution backed overwhelmingly by the United Nations has effectively called on the US to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.”
The vote, which had 128 votes in favour and 9 against also has 35 abstentions, including Croatia.
The countries which abstained from the vote were Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, Haiti, Hungary, Jamaica, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu.
Apart from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia was the only country in the region to abstain, while Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and the home country of the First Lady, Slovenia, voted for the motion and against Trump’s declaration.
The voting is slightly different to voting on Palestinian issues a few years ago, when the US opposed Palestinian membership of UNESCO. Croatian abstention on that occasion was joined by Albania, BiH and Montenegro, with Slovenia and Serbia supporting Palestinian entry.
While Croatia abstained from the vote yesterday, it was publicly thanked for its support by Israel last year:
“I want to issue a special thanks to two brave nations, Croatia and Tanzania, that lay on the fence for Israel and publicly asked for a vote, [and] stood against the wishes of the Arab world,” Shama-Hacohen said. Full story in the Jerusalem Post.
Croatia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs issued a statement explaining Croatia’s vote, reports N1. “At the special extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly, on which a resolution on the status of Jerusalem was discussed and voted on, the Republic of Croatia abstained from voting.
We are of the opinion that this issue should not have been discussed at the forum in question and that the adopted resolution cannot contribute to the resolution of the status of Jerusalem, as well as to the prospects for peace and peace process, nor to the improvement of the delicate situation in the Middle East region. We also believe that the status of Jerusalem should be resolved within the framework of direct negotiations between the two sides, which will lead to an acceptable solution for both sides.
As far as the Middle East peace process is concerned, nothing changes in the position of the Republic of Croatia, which continues to be in line with positions agreed within the European Union and remains committed to a two-state solution and a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. Croatia will continue to work with its partners in the international community and the European Union to create the preconditions for direct negotiations between the two sides,” said Croatia’s Foreign Ministry in the statement.
