U.S. vetoes UN resolution that would have required it to undo Trump's Jerusalem declaration

The United States has vetoed a UN resolution that would have required President Donald Trump to rescind his declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

The Egyptian-sponsored Security Council resolution was approved by the 14 other Security Council members, a reflection of the depth of global opposition to Trump's action.

Arab nations knew in advance that the United States was certain to veto the resolution, but they sought the vote to demonstrate that countries everywhere and even many U.S. allies such as Britain, France and Japan are against Trump's action.

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley called the resolution "an insult" that won't be forgotten, saying the United Nations forced the U.S. to cast a veto simply because of its right to decide where to put its embassy.

The draft resolution demanded that all countries comply with 10 resolutions on Jerusalem dating back to 1967, including requirements that the city's final status be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Trump shattered decades of unwavering U.S. neutrality on Jerusalem on Dec. 6 when he declared that the United States recognizes the divided holy city as Israel's capital and will move its embassy there. He insisted that after repeated peace failures it was past time for a new approach, saying his decision was merely based on reality.

The status of Jerusalem has been a central issue in the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement and other groups organized mass protests while its rival, the Gaza-based Islamic militant group Hamas, has called for a third violent uprising against Israel.

Trump has been working on a new Mideast peace plan and says he remains committed to brokering a deal, despite the Jerusalem move.

However, Abbas said after the vote he will no longer accept the U.S. as a Mideast mediator, using some of his harshest rhetoric since Trump's declaration.

Abbas said in public comments to senior Palestinian officials Monday that "a crazy person wouldn't accept" such a role for Washington after Trump's announcement two weeks ago.