Trump says UN just a club for people to ‘have a good time’

Days after the UN Security Council voted to condemn Israel over its illegal settlement construction in the occupied Palestinian territories, US President-elect Donald Trump has denounced the United Nations as a club for people to “have a good time.”

In a Monday afternoon tweet, Trump said that the UN has “such great potential” but it has become “just a club for people to get together, talk and have a good time. So sad!”

The incoming Republican president has already implied he will bring change to the global body once he is in the White House. He has warned, “As to the UN, things will be different after Jan. 20th,” referring to the day he takes office.

On Friday, the Security Council passed Resolution 2334, which demands an immediate end to illegal settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories like East Jerusalem al-Quds.

The resolution was adopted after the US refused to veto it, reversing its longstanding policy of shielding Israel from condemnatory measures at the world body.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to force the Obama administration to veto the resolution, but Washington abstained from the vote, allowing the measure to pass.

On Sunday, a furious Netanyahu summoned US Ambassador to Israel Daniel Shapiro and a group of other foreign envoys over the Security Council's rebuke of Israel’s settlement policy.

In addition, Netanyahu also accused US President Barack Obama of "colluding" with the Palestinians, and carrying out a “shameful ambush” by not vetoing the resolution against Israel.  

On Monday, the Israeli ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer, said Tel Aviv has “evidence” that Washington was “actually behind” Resolution 2334, adding that officials plan to provide the “evidence” to Trump.

"We will present this evidence to the new administration through the appropriate channels, and if they want to share it with the American people they are welcome to do it," Dermer told CNN.

According to reports, a day before the resolution was adopted in a 14-0 vote, Netanyahu successfully pressured Trump to convince Egypt, which proposed the draft resolution, to withdraw it.

But New Zealand, Venezuela, Senegal and Malaysia resubmitted the proposal a day later, outmaneuvering the Israeli regime.

Trump said last year that he wanted to be “very neutral” on Israel-Palestinian issues, but as his presidential campaign progressed he started speaking disparagingly of Palestinians and often expressed his strong support for Israelis and the regime in Tel Aviv.

On the other hand, Netanyahu, who had been a strong supporter of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton during her campaign, jumped to the Trump bandwagon after his stunning victory over Clinton in the November 8 presidential election. 

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