Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Reuters / Abir Sultan / Pool.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the United Nations as a “house of lies” ahead of a vote on Thursday on a draft resolution calling on the United States to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“The State of Israel totally rejects this vote, even before (the resolution’s) approval,” Netanyahu said in a speech at a hospital dedication in the port city of Ashdod.

The 193-member UN General Assembly will hold a rare emergency special session on Thursday at the request of Arab and Muslim countries to vote on the draft resolution, which the United States vetoed on Monday in the 15-member UN Security Council.

Generating outrage from Palestinians and the Arab and Muslim world, and concern among Washington’s Western allies, President Donald Trump abruptly reversed decades of US policy on Dec. 6 when he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Palestinians have rioted daily in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip since Trump’s announcement, throwing rocks at security forces and burning tires. Gaza terrorists have also launched sporadic rocket fire.

Trump threatened on Wednesday to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favor of the UN draft resolution, and his ambassador to the world body, Nikki Haley, said the United States “will be taking names.”

Netanyahu, in his speech, thanked Trump and Haley for “their brave and uncompromising stance.” He repeated his prediction that other countries would eventually follow Washington’s lead in pledging to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“The attitude towards Israel of many countries, on all continents, outside the walls of the United Nations, is changing and will ultimately permeate into the U.N. — the house of lies,” he said.

“Jerusalem is the capital of Israel whether the UN recognizes it or not,” Netanyahu declared. “It took 70 years for the US to officially recognize it and it will take more years until the UN also recognizes it.”