EJP

Honduras to open ‘diplomatic office’ in Jerusalem and recognize the city as Israel’s capital

Hondurian president Juan Orlando Hernandez;

Guatemala moved its embassy to Jerusalem in May 2018, shortly after the American move from Tel Aviv. Paraguay had also announced a move, though it then reversed its decision, affecting relations with Israel for the time being.

Government officials from several countries, including the Czech Republic, Romania, Lithuania, Australia and Brazil, have expressed interest in moving their embassies to Jerusalem. In March, Hungary opened a diplomatic trade mission in Jerusalem, which is considered a branch of the Hungarian Embassy in Tel Aviv.

Honduras will open a ‘’diplomatic office’’ in Jerusalem as an extension of its embassy in Tel Aviv, a move that will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Hondurian president Juan Orlando Hernandez said.

Hernandez is to travel to Israel on Friday to inaugurate the new “diplomatic office”.

“For me it’s the recognition that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.This has been much debated in the world, and I know that I will be criticized for this, but if Honduras has as its capital Tegucigalpa, and another country refuses to recognize it, it is equivalent to not recognizing our sovereignty,” the Hondurian president said.

Hernandez graduated from an Israeli leadership course from the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Agency for International Development Cooperation, or Mashav, in 1992 at the beginning of his diplomatic career.

U.S. President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the embassy there six months later. Since then, a few countries have followed, and others have alluded to taking steps in this direction, but have stopped short of moving their embassies.

Guatemala moved its embassy to Jerusalem in May 2018, shortly after the American move from Tel Aviv. Paraguay had also announced a move, though it then reversed its decision, affecting relations with Israel for the time being.

Government officials from several countries, including the Czech Republic, Romania, Lithuania, Australia and Brazil, have expressed interest in moving their embassies to Jerusalem. In March, Hungary opened a diplomatic trade mission in Jerusalem, which is considered a branch of the Hungarian Embassy in Tel Aviv.

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