Israeli PM terms UN 'house of lies' ahead of Jerusalem vote

Israel [Jerusalem], December 21 (ANI): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu termed the United Nations a 'house of lies' on Thursday, ahead of vote on a resolution seeking withdrawal of US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

"The State of Israel totally rejects this vote, even before (the resolution's) approval," Netanyahu said in a speech at a hospital dedication in the port city of Ashdod, according to media reports..

"The attitude towards Israel of many countries, on all continents, outside the walls of the United Nations, is changing and will ultimately permeate into the U.N. - the house of lies," he said.

The U.N. General Assembly will hold an emergency session on Thursday to vote on the draft resolution calling on the US to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Earlier, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said "the US will be taking names" of countries that vote in favour of the resolution.

The US has vetoed an Egyptian-drafted UN Security Council resolution that called on countries not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem.

The one-page Egyptian draft resolution, without any mention of the U.S. or Trump, expresses "deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem".

Triggering outrage from Palestinians and the Arab and Muslim world, and concern among Washington's Western allies, President Donald Trump reversed decades of U.S. policy on December 6 when he recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Trump, on Wednesday, threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favour of the U.N. draft resolution.(ANI)