Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Friday defended President Trump�s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel�s capital city, Fox News reported.

During a tense emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, Haley and her Israeli counterpart, Danny Danon, were surrounded by voices warning of the dire consequences the president�s decision would have on the Middle East peace process. But both were steadfast in defending Trump.

Haley said three presidents delayed the decision in the hope that a peace process �would produce results � results that never came.�

�For 22 years, the American people have overwhelmingly supported that position, and they have waited . . . and waited,� she said. �This week, President Trump finally made the decision to no longer deny the will of the American people.�

Ambassador Haley said the U.S. was aware of the concerns the decision would raise.

�The United States took this step in full knowledge that it will raise questions and concerns. Our actions are intended to help advance the cause of peace,� she said. �We must recognize that peace is advanced, not set back , when all parties are honest with each other. Our actions reflected an honest assessment of reality.�

Haley also took a shot at the UN for its negative role in the peace process, saying the world body has been one of the �world�s foremost centers of hostility toward Israel.�

She accused the UN of doing more to damage the prospects for Middle East peace than to advance them.

�We will not be a party to that,� she said. �The United States no longer stands by when Israel is unfairly attacked in the United Nations.�

Haley said the U.S. would not tolerate lectures by countries that �lack credibility� on Israeli-Palestinian issues. She made clear what President Trump�s decision does not do � namely it does not take a position on borders or boundaries. The issue of sovereignty over Jerusalem will still need to be decided by both sides and the United States, she said, was not �predetermining final status issues.�

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