US tells UN it takes vote on Hamas 'very seriously'

UNITED NATIONS, United States — US Ambassador Nikki Haley is urging countries at the United Nations to back a US-drafted resolution condemning the Palestinian Hamas movement, warning in a letter that the United States takes the vote "very seriously".

The UN General Assembly is scheduled to vote on Thursday on the draft resolution that would condemn Hamas for firing rockets into Israel and demand that it ends the violence.

If adopted, it would mark the first time that the assembly has taken aim at Hamas, the Islamist militant group that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007.

In a letter sent to UN diplomatic missions, Haley warned that there could be attempts by some countries to introduce amendments to the text and urged ambassadors to vote against any such proposed changes.

"The United States takes the outcome of this vote very seriously," wrote Haley in the letter dated Monday and obtained by AFP.

"The resolution has been carefully-crafted to address a specific problem, and it reflects consultations with many stakeholders to ensure balance.“