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The Trump administration has pushed for major cuts to US foreign aid overall [Jonathan Ernst/Reuters]
Despite exerting unparalleled pressure on UN member states, the US could not stave off a General Assembly vote on Thursday, condemning Donald Trump 's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
The UNGA passed the draft resolution - which declared the Jerusalem decision to be "null and void" - by an overwhelming margin, with 128 states voting in favour and nine against, with 35 abstentions.
The results came after days of threats from the US delegation to the United Nations and from Trump himself, who said earlier in the week that he would consider cutting funding to any country that voted against the US.
"They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Well, we're watching those votes," Trump told reporters on Wednesday.
Speaking before the General Assembly vote, Nikki Haley, US ambassador to the UN, said that as the largest donor to the international body, the US had "a legitimate expectation" that its goodwill would be "recognised and respected".
"When a nation is singled out for attack in this organisation, that nation is disrespected. What's more, that nation is asked to pay for the privilege of being disrespected. In the case of the US, we are asked to pay more than anyone else for that dubious privilege," Haley said.
"If our investment fails, we have an obligation to spend our resources in more productive ways.
Why are British Muslim marriages unprotected by law? FEATURE / ISLAM MUSLIM MARRIAGE IN THE UK 60 percent Muslim marriages religious-only, unregistered 28 percent do not realise Islamic ceremony not legally recognised 66 percent know union has no legal status 50 percent do not intend to have marriage legalised - Source: Channel 4 survey Aina Khan Aina Khan is a journalist focusing on race, faith and identity. She's reading a masters in religion in politics at SOAS. @ ainajkhan United Kingdom Islam Europe, Maureen, right, was not entitled to financial support after her husband Rashid - the father of her child - passed away [Courtesy: Maureen] London, England - When Maureen wed her husband Rashid in a Muslim ceremony in 1973 in Bradford, she knew that should the relationship fall apart, she would not be entitled to share his assets. Her marriage was sanctified in the eyes of God, but in the eyes of the state it was "unregistered", not legal, and so financial protection...
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