JOHANNESBURG - Botswana has hit back at the &39;bullying&39; by United States (US) ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley for her threatening stance to member nations with regards to their vote on the status of Jerusalem.

Speaking at an emergency session on the status of Jerusalem on 21 December, Haley warned the United States "will remember this day."

While not asking other countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem, Haley said, "The President will be watching this vote carefully and has requested that I report back on those countries who voted against us.

"We will take note of each and every vote on this issue."

Botswana, in a press release, said that "the threatening and grossly inappropriate communication, whose purpose would be to undermine the Sovereignty of Botswana as an independent country, also demonstrates unprecedented diplomacy."

The press release affirmed that "Botswana will not be intimidated by such threats and will exercise her Sovereign right and vote based on her foreign relations principles, which affirm that Jerusalem is a final status issue, which must be resolved through negotiations in line with relevant United Nations resolutions."

Botswana encouraged other member nations to support the resolution rejecting the US&39;s decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel&39;s capital.

Botswana Government response to USA over threatening Jerusalem letter authored by US Ambassador Nikki Haley sabcnews UNGA pic.twitter.com/RRFTn9LfPd — Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) December 23, 2017

While not asking other countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem, Haley said, "The President will be watching this vote carefully and has requested that I report back on those countries who voted against us.

"We will take note of each and every vote on this issue."

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

US Ambassador Nikki Haley sends letter to some UN member states to warn them ahead of UNGA Jerusalem vote, read last paragraph! sabcnews pic.twitter.com/vdoVQI18p4 — Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) December 20, 2017

The United Nations nevertheless voted by 128 votes to nine, with 35 abstentions, to reject the US decision on Jerusalem.