US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley exercised the United States’ ultimate veto power on Monday, shutting down a Security Council resolution that would “nullify” President Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel; saying no nation on earth has the power to dictate where the US places its embassies.

“This is the first time I’ve exercised the American right to veto a resolution in the Security Council. The exercise of the veto is not something the United States does often. We have not done it in more than six years. We do it with no joy, but we do it with no reluctance,” said Haley.

“The fact that this veto is being done in defense of American sovereignty, and in defense of America’s role in the Middle East peace process is not a source of embarrassment for us. It should be an embarrassment to the remainder of the security council,” she told the international body.

US veto on #Jerusalem resolution not an embarrassment for US, but for remainder of UNSC – Nikki #Haley https://t.co/sZ9bDZb80W pic.twitter.com/sISluA79UM — RT (@RT_com) December 18, 2017

The American veto comes as the Security Council sought to undo President Trump’s historic decision to relocate the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; upending decades of empty promises made by his predecessors and renewing hopes for a rejuvenated peace process.

In response to Trump’s announcement, leaders across the Middle East warned of escalating violence, with Hamas calling for “days of rage” as the US weighs how and when to relocate its main diplomatic mission.