UN Jerusalem Vote Reveals Split in Balkan States

Balkan countries voted in different ways in the UN General Assembly resolution, where most countries urged the United States to rescind its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Most countries defied US President Donald Trump on Thursday and voted in favour of the resolution calling for Washington to drop its plan to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The resolution was passed in a 128-9 landslide that saw some three-quarters of nations voting "yes". Another 35 abstained and 21 were no-shows.

The only countries to vote in favour of the US were Guatemala, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Togo and, of course, Israel.

By contrast, most European countries, including close US allies, voted in the favour of the resolution in accordance with their previous statements.

Balkan countries found themselves caught in a tug of war between the EU and the US but most of them still followed the EU's path, not Washington's.

Before the vote at the UN, European foreign ministers strongly rejected calls by Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for them to follow Trump's example and recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, Greece, Serbia and Turkey all voted in favour of the UN resolution and defied US warnings.

Known as a close US ally, as well as having friendly relations with Israel, Albania felt the need to explain its vote at the UN, saying Albania "held the joint position of the overwhelming majority of EU members countries".

However, some in the Albanian opposition expressed frustration over the decision. Former Prime Minister and current Democratic Party MP Sali Berisha took to Facebook to call the vote "against the country's national...