
The UN General Assembly has voted 128 to 9 in favour of a non-binding resolution rejecting the US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

That is despite the US President threatening to cut billions of dollars in aid to countries that dared to defy him.

The UK was among those countries to vote against Trump, putting further pressure on the 'special relationship' after the pair got into a war of words when Trump retweeted several Britain First videos earlier this month.

May and Trump did speak on the phone about the Jerusalem issue on Wednesday after Britain opposed America in a similar vote at the Security Council. Downing Street acknowledged after the call that the leaders had taken 'different positions'.

Scroll down for video

The United Nations General Assembly has voted 128-9 to reject Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite threats from the President to withdraw aid

Guatemala, Honduras, Togo, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and the Marshall Islands joined the US and Israel in opposing the motion, while there were 35 abstentions and 21 others were absent

The UK was among the countries voting against Trump (pictured, Theresa May in Poland today) after the two leaders spoke yesterday on the phone about their differences

No mention was made of the Britain First videos during the call, according to a transcript released by Number 10.

Trump had said ahead of the vote that 'we're watching' the outcome, while Nikki Haley, his representative, had warned that the US would be 'taking names'.

The resolution, sponsored by Yemen and Turkey, reaffirmed what has been the United Nations' stand on the divided holy city since 1967 - that Jerusalem's final status must be decided in direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said afterwards that he totally rejects the "preposterous" resolution.

The United States and Israel had waged an intensive lobbying campaign against the resolution, with US Ambassador Nikki Haley sending letters to over 180 countries warning that Washington would be taking names of those who voted against the US.

But when it came to the vote, major US aid recipients including Afghanistan, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania and South Africa supported the resolution.

Seven countries - Guatemala, Honduras, Togo, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and the Marshall Islands - joined Israel and the United States in opposing the measure.

Among the 35 countries that abstained were Argentina, Australia, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Mexico, the Philippines, Romania and Rwanda.

Among the notable abstentions were Australia, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic and Mexico.

The absent countries included Kenya, which was the fifth-largest recipient of US aid last year, Georgia and Ukraine, all of which have close US ties.

The measure was sent to the General Assembly after it was vetoed by the United States at the Security Council on Monday, although all other 14 council members voted in favor.

'The United States will remember this day,' Haley told the assembly after the vote.

'America will put our embassy in Jerusalem,' Haley said. 'No vote in the United Nations will make any difference on that.

Nikki Haley, America's representative at the UN, said after the vote that the US 'will remember this day' and that the vote will make no difference to where they chose to place their embassy

The resolution was brought before the General Assembly (pictured) after a similar measure was vetoed by the US when it came before the Security Council on Wednesday

'But this vote will make a difference on how Americans look at the UN and on how we look at countries who disrespect us in the UN,' she said.

'When we make generous contributions to the UN we also have a legitimate expectation that our goodwill is recognized and respected.'

While resolutions by the General Assembly are non-binding, a strong vote in support carries political weight.

The vote, while a victory for the Palestinians, was significantly lower than its supporters had hoped for, with many forecasting at least 150 'yes' votes.

Earlier in the day Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged countries not to sell out their 'democratic will in return for petty dollars'.

Erdogan called on members not to be swayed by Trump's warning and said in a televised speech: 'I am calling on the whole world: never sell your democratic will in return for petty dollars.'

The US decision on December 6 to recognise the city as Israel's capital broke with international consensus and unleashed protests across the Muslim world, prompting a flurry of appeals to the United Nations.

Trump has said the US would be 'watching' which side votes were cast on, while Nikki Haley, his representative at the UN, said she would be 'taking names'

Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan (pictured today) has urged countries not to sell out their 'democratic will in return for petty dollars' ahead of a key UN vote on Jerusalem

Trump warned that Washington would closely watch how nations voted, suggesting there could even be reprisals for countries that back the motion which was put forward by Yemen and Turkey on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries.

'They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars and then they vote against us,' Trump said at the White House.

'Well, we're watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We'll save a lot. We don't care.'

The draft resolution mirrors the text that was vetoed on Monday, and although it does not mention Trump's decision, it expresses 'deep regret at recent decisions' concerning the city's status.

Ahead of the vote, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blasted the UN as a 'house of lies,' saying Israel 'rejects outright this vote, even before it passes.'

'The attitude to Israel of many nations in the world, in all the continents, is changing outside of the UN walls, and will eventually filter into the UN as well - the house of lies,' he said.

On Tuesday, US Ambassador Nikki Haley sent an email to fellow UN envoys to put them on notice that 'the president will be watching this vote carefully and has requested I report back on those countries who voted against us.'

'We will take note of each and every vote on this issue,' she wrote in the message seen by AFP.

And on Twitter she said 'the US will be taking names' when ambassadors of the 193-nation assembly cast their votes.

The US decision on December 6 to recognise the city as Israel's capital broke with international consensus and unleashed protests across the Muslim world, prompting a flurry of appeals to the United Nations

Trump warned that Washington would closely watch how nations voted, suggesting there could even be reprisals for countries that back the motion which was put forward by Yemen and Turkey on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries

'Nikki, that was the right message,' Trump said.

Erdogan accused Trump of making 'threats'.

'How do they call America? The cradle of democracy. The cradle of democracy is seeking to find will in the world that can be bought with dollars,' he said.

'Mr Trump you cannot buy with dollars Turkey's democratic will. Our decision is clear,' he said.

Erdogan said he believed that 'the world will teach a very good lesson to America today (Thursday).'

A council diplomat said Canada, Hungary and the Czech Republic might bow to US pressure, but the motion is all but certain to be approved.

No country has veto powers in the General Assembly, unlike in the 15-member Security Council where the United States, along with Britain, China, France and Russia, can block any resolution.

Among the 14 countries voting in favor on Monday were Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Ukraine who were expected to do the same at the assembly.

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki accused Washington of 'threatening' member-states, saying the UN session would show 'how many countries will opt to vote with their conscience.'

While resolutions by the General Assembly are non-binding, a strong vote in support of the resolution would carry political weight.

Israel seized the largely-Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, claiming both sides of the city as its 'eternal and undivided capital.'

But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as capital of their future state and fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there.

Several UN resolutions call on Israel to withdraw from territory seized in 1967 and the draft resolution contains the same language as past motions adopted by the assembly.