Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Kosovo has
agreed to open its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem, making it the
first country with a Muslim majority to do so.
The Kosovo embassy announcement came shortly after Netanyahu
said the two countries had agreed to establish diplomatic ties
following a similar announcement by US President Donald Trump in
Washington.
“I welcome the announcement of Israeli PM @netanyahu about the
genuine intention to recognize #Kosovo and establish diplomatic
relations. Kosovo will keep its promise to place its diplomatic
mission in #Jerusalem,” President of the Republic of Kosovo
Hashim Thaçi tweeted.
Also on Friday, Serbia committed to moving their embassies in
Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, becoming the first European
country to make the move.
Trumpnotified
the media of Serbia’s
decision when speaking to reporters In the Oval Office at the White
House, during a meeting with leaders from Serbia and Kosovo.
Serbia is not a member of the European Union and thus is not
bound by the same policy considerations as the 27 member EU
states.
Netanyahu welcomed the news stating, “I thank my friend the
President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic†for the decision to
recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move his
country’s embassy to it. I would also like to thank my friend
President Trump for his contribution to this achievement. We will
continue our efforts to move more European countries to
Jerusalem.â€
He added that the embassy relocation was yet another achievement
in strengthening Israel’s diplomatic relations and in its efforts
to ensure that Jerusalem was recognized as the capital of
Israel.
Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi also addressed the historic
advancements in Israel’s diplomatic relations with Serbia and
Kosovo, and thanked the American administration for continuing to
lead Israel to major foreign policy breakthroughs, according to
Walla! News.
“The US is Israel’s most important ally,†Ashkenazi
said.
Accordng to Ynet, Ashkenazi also took the opportunity to call on
other countries to “follow in Serbia’s footsteps and move their
embassies to Jerusalem, Israel’s capital.â€
He added that “Jerusalem will be a bridge of peace to the
whole world.â€
Most of the international community does not formally recognize
Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, holding that such recognition
should come only as part of a two-state resolution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict in which east Jerusalem would be the
capital of a future Palestinian state.
To date only the United States and Guatemala have embassies in
Jerusalem.
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Netanyahu: Kosovo, Serbia to Open Embassies in Jerusalem
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