Haley tells U.N. Washington takes vote on U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning Hamas 'very seriously'

"United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has urged countries to back a US-drafted resolution condemning the Palestinian Hamas terror group, warning in a letter that the United States takes the vote 'very seriously.'

The UN General Assembly is scheduled to vote Thursday on the draft resolution that would condemn Hamas for firing rockets into Israel and demand that it end the violence...

In a letter sent to UN diplomatic missions, Haley warned that there could be attempts by some countries to introduce amendments to the text and urged ambassadors to vote against any such proposed changes.

'The United States takes the outcome of this vote very seriously,' Haley wrote in the letter dated Monday and obtained by AFP.

'The resolution has been carefully-crafted to address a specific problem, and it reflects consultations with many stakeholders to ensure balance.

'That is why we are asking that you not only vote in favor of the resolution but that you also vote against any amendments or other efforts to undermine adoption of the text,' she added...

Arab countries are expected to put forward amendments to the resolution and push for a ruling at the General Assembly that would specify that the measure must be adopted by a two-thirds majority, instead of a simple majority..."