Turkey takes Jerusalem resolution to UN General Assembly

Turkey will take the resolution calling on the United States to withdraw its declaration of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital to the United Nations General Assembly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.

The resolution was introduced to the UN Security Council on Monday by Egypt, a non-permanent member, but was vetoed by the United States, despite the 14 other votes in favour.

"Now, God willing, we will carry the resolution to the UN General Assembly," Erdogan a joint news conference with Djibouti's President Ismail Omar Guelleh.

 "A two-thirds support in the General Assembly would actually mean the rejection of the decision made by the Security Council," he added.

Emergency special session

The 193-member United Nations General Assembly will hold a rare emergency special session on Thursday at the request of Arab and Muslim states on Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour said the General Assembly would vote on a draft resolution calling for Trump's declaration to be withdrawn, which was vetoed by the United States in the 15-member UN Security Council on Monday.

The remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favour of the Egyptian-drafted resolution, which did not specifically mention the United States or Trump but which expressed "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem."

Mansour said on Monday he hoped there would be "overwhelming support" in the General Assembly for the resolution. Such a vote is non-binding but carries political weight.

Under a 1950 resolution, an emergency special session can be called for the General Assembly to consider a matter "with a view to making appropriate recommendations to members for collective measures" if the Security Council fails to act.

Only 10 such sessions have been convened, and the last time the General Assembly met in such a session was in 2009 on occupied East Jerusalem and Palestinian territories. 

Thursday's meeting will be a resumption of that session.