Israel in Talks with More Than 10 Countries over Jerusalem Embassy Move

Rasa - Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely told Israel's Kan Bet public radio on Monday that Tel Aviv is talking with more than 10 countries about potentially moving their respective embassies to Jerusalem following Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales’s announcement that he would move his country’s embassy to Jerusalem.

News ID: 435508

Date: 26 December 2017 - 18:13

RNA - Hotovely told Haaretz that these discussions are initially focusing on recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, rather than on immediately moving their respective embassies.

She refused to identify the countries, but noted that several of the talks are just beginning, while others are further along.

Foreign Ministry officials confirmed Hotovely’s statements, adding that these conversations are taking place “with more than 10 countries, but not many more.”

Israeli diplomats estimated on Monday that Honduras is likely one of the next countries to take a similar step.

Guatemala’s President has said the Central American country will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, becoming the first country to follow the lead of US President Donald Trump in ordering the change.

Guatemala was one of nine countries that voted with the United States and Israel, when the UN general assembly overwhelmingly adopted a non-binding resolution denouncing Washington’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

No other country has their embassy for Israel in Jerusalem, though the Czech Republic has declared that it is considering such a move.

US President announced early December that Washington would be recognizing Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s capital, stressing that the United States would relocate the embassy in the occupied lands from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem al-Quds.

The move was hailed by Israel but condemned by the rest of the international community as one which undermines the peace talks.

Washington’s al-Quds move has raised a chorus of outcry across the international community. The Muslim world, the UN, world leaders from Europe to the Middle East to Australia, and even US allies in the West have criticized the bid, saying it would plunge the already tumultuous region into new upheaval.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in a statement issued following an extraordinary summit in Turkey's Istanbul, declared East Jerusalem the capital of Palestine "under occupation" and urged the US to withdraw from the peace process and back down from its Jerusalem decision.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) overwhelmingly passed a non-binding resolution condemning US President’s decision and called on states not to move their diplomatic missions to the sacred city. Only nine countries voted directly against the resolution, while 56 others either abstained or did not cast a ballot. The UN resolution passed overwhelmingly in the body's General Assembly with 128 countries voting in favor of it.

The UNGA vote followed the US veto of a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution. All other UNSC members voted in favor of a motion to rescind Washington’s move.

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