A number of Democrat politicians are boycotting the 2019 annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
But there are 18,000 pro-Israel Americans attending, many U.S politicians, and foreign leaders as well.
Three of those leaders just announced their respective countries would follow the U.S. lead and relocate their embassies to Jerusalem. They join not only the U.S., but also Guatamala. Other countries, such as Brazil, have indicated an intention to relocate their embassies, but not on any definite timeline.
Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernández delivered the announcement, Israel National News reports:
Honduras announced plans to move its diplomatic mission in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, opening a new embassy in the Israeli capital city.President Juan Orlando Hernandez made the announcement Sunday, during the 2019 American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington DC.Speaking at the opening meeting of the conference, Hernandez said his country would “immediately” open an “official diplomatic mission” in the Israeli capital city.”Honduras will immediately open our official diplomatic mission and this will extend our embassy to the capital of Israel, Jerusalem.”The Hernandez government had previously floated the possibility of moving the Honduran embassy to Jerusalem in exchange for the upgrading of Israel’s diplomatic mission to Honduras from a consular level to a full embassy.The cost of maintaining a full-fledged embassy has been estimated at one million dollars a year.Once Honduras’ embassy move is completed, it will join the US and Guatemala as the only three countries with full-fledged embassies located in the Israeli capital.Paraguay, which had initially followed the US and Guatemala and moved its embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, later moved its diplomatic mission back to Tel Aviv.
Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă made her announcement during her speech, as The Jerusalem Post reports:
“I, as prime minister of Romania, and the government I lead, will move our embassy to Jerusalem,” Dăncilă said. “Our support of the State of Israel and the Jewish community is constant. I am determined to contribute to closer relations between Israel and the entire European Union, particularly now, when Romania is holding the presidency of the Council of the European Union.”She promised that Romania would “remain the same loyal friend and the strongest European voice in support of the Jewish people and the State of Israel,” concluding with the words, “shalom chaveirim (Peace friends), see you in Jerusalem.”
Cape Verde also announced a move of its Embassy:
Cape Verde previously had stated that it eventually would open an Embassy in Jerusalem, its first diplomatic outpost in Israel, but the announcement that it intends to do so as soon as possible was significant.
Expect threats from the Palestinians.
[Featured image via Dani Dayan Twitter]
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