Mon Dec 25, 2017 02:27AM

This file picture taken on September 19, 2017 shows Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales addressing the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York. (Photo by AFP)

Guatemala has announced that it will be moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem al-Quds, making it the first country to follow in the footsteps of US President Donald Trump.

On Sunday, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales made the announcement following a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"I am informing you that I have given instructions to the foreign ministry that it start the necessary respective coordination to make this happen," said Morales.

His announcement came three days after two-thirds of UN member states rejected Trump's decision to have the Washington recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel's capital.

The United Nations General Assembly has voted in favor of a resolution that calls on the US to withdraw its controversial recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as Israeli "capital."

The UNGA on Thursday approved a resolution that described that decision by Trump as “null and void.”

Only eight countries stood with the US in voting no to the resolution, among them Guatemala and fellow Central American country Honduras, both of which are dependent on US funding.

Ahead of the vote, Trump threatened to discontinue financial aid to countries that vote in favor of a draft UN resolution against his decision.

US President Donald Trump has warned that he would cut financial aid to the countries which would vote against the U-S al-Quds policy.

Arab and Muslim states had requested that the 193-nation assembly hold an emergency special meeting on Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital, days after Washington used its veto power to block an Egypt-drafted resolution against the move at the UN Security Council.

On December 6, Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital and relocate the US embassy in occupied lands from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.

The dramatic shift in Washington’s policy vis-à-vis the city triggered demonstrations in the occupied Palestinian territories, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco and other Muslim countries.