Honduras May Move Israel Embassy To Jerusalem

Juan Orlando Hernandez Image by Getty Images

By Marcus M. Gilban January 2, 2019

RIO DE JANEIRO (JTA) — Israel’s prime minister, Honduras’ president and the U.S. secretary of state discussed plans to move the Central American nation’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Juan Orlando Hernandez and Michael Pompeo met Tuesday in Brasilia where they attended the inauguration of Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro. The three also discussed upgrading Israel’s consulate in Tegucigalpa to a full embassy.

The countries “agreed to pursue a plan of action, which includes meetings in their three respective capital cities,” a joint statement released by the U.S. State Department read, and to “strengthen political relations and coordinate development cooperation in Honduras.”

“The U.S., Israel and Honduras are uniting as strategic allies, committed to the development and security of their peoples,” Hernandez tweeted. “The alliance will bring great results and positively impact the Honduran people.”

Netanyahu on Tuesday ended a historic five-day trip to Brazil, the first for a sitting Israeli prime minister. Both Netanyahu and Bolsonaro described the Brazilian embassy transfer from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as “a matter of when, not if.”

Last month, senior Honduran officials expressed their government’s willingness to move its embassy after meeting Israel’s Foreign Ministry Director-General Yuval Rotem. Honduras also is interested in getting advice from Israeli experts on crime fighting, water management, agriculture, and cyber issues.

Guatemala moved its embassy to Jerusalem just two days after the U.S. opened its offices in May. Earlier this year, Paraguay also announced plans to move its embassy, but reversed the decision months later.

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