The Czech government’s decision to open a diplomatic office in Jerusalem follows a promise made by Czech President Milos Zeman about two years ago.

The Czech Republic is among the best friends of Israel in the EU.

“This is an important step that is indicative of the friendship between the two peoples and the recognition of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish people,’’ Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi told his Czech counterpart, Tomas Petricek after the Czech Republic decision to establish a diplomatic office in Jerusalem.

The Czech government’s decision to open a diplomatic office in Jerusalem follows a promise made by Czech President Milos Zeman about two years ago. The Czech Republic is among the best friends of Israel in the EU.

A Czech statement clarified that “the establishment of this office has nothing to do with the ongoing peace process in the Middle East, does not anticipate its results or change the long-term Czech position in this process.”

The diplomatic office is slated to be opened in the first half of 2021, replacing the Czech honorary consulate in Jerusalem. It will be a branch of its embassy in Tel Aviv, with one of the diplomats of the embassy working from the office, and will allow Czech citizens to apply for travel documents in Jerusalem.

The Czech government’s decision joins a wave of similar decisions to establish embassies in Jerusalem taken by various countries over the past three months : Kosovo, Serbia, Dominican Republic and Malawi. The U.S. and Guatemala also have also their embassies in Jerusalem.