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27 Dec, 2016 16:53

‘Just a club for people to get together’: Trump slams UN after Israel vote

‘Just a club for people to get together’: Trump slams UN after Israel vote

US President-elect Donald Trump stepped up his criticism of the UN after a resolution condemning Israel over West Bank settlements passed in the Security Council, with the US abstaining. Trump, who takes office in three weeks, called for a veto.

The UN has “such great potential” but is currently just “a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time,” Trump pronounced on Sunday via Twitter.

Adopted on Friday, Resolution 2334 declared Israeli settlements in “Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East-Jerusalem” to be a “flagrant violation” of international law.

After the vote, Trump tweeted that “things will be different” at the UN after January 20, when he assumes office as the 45th president of the United States.

During the campaign, Trump openly voiced support for Israel. He also said he wants to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Israel’s claim to the entire city as its unified capital. David Friedman, Trump’s pick for ambassador to Israel, supports settlements and opposes Palestinian statehood, according to AP.

Outgoing US President Barack Obama was “behind this ganging up on Israel at the UN,” Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer told CNN, MSNBC, and Fox on Monday, adding that Israel had evidence for this, which it would share with Trump.

“We will present this evidence to the new administration through the appropriate channels. If they want to share it with the American people they are welcome to do it,” Dermer told CNN.

Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes has denied Israeli claims, telling Israeli Channel 2 that the resolution was drafted by Egypt.

Trump has not specifically said his tweet was motivated by Resolution 2334, however, prompting one MSNBC producer to dig up a 2012 tweet in which Trump criticized the “cheap” marble tiles and offered to replace them with “beautiful large marble slabs” if asked.

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