Iraq welcomes UN resolution on Jerusalem

BAGHDAD, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iraq Friday welcomed the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) resolution over Jerusalem and considered it a victory for international legitimacy and for the Palestinian cause.

"The Iraqi Foreign Ministry welcomes UNGA resolution which rejected changes to Jerusalem, and affirms Iraq's determination on its steadfast stance about Palestine and Jerusalem, and calls on the world to confront the attempts to undermine the Holly City (Jerusalem)," the ministry said in a statement.

"The vote of Iraq among 128 countries in favor of the resolution, which came with almost international unanimity, has made the declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of the Zionist entity null and void, and proved the legitimate and legal right for Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital," the statement said.

On Thursday, the UNGA overwhelmingly adopted a resolution on Jerusalem, calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the city as Israel's capital, despite threats by the U.S. President Donald Trump to cut aid to those countries who voted against the move.

A total of 128 members voted in favor of the resolution, nine countries voted against it and 35 others abstained. Enditem