The tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru. Image by U.S. Department of Energy

JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Republic of Nauru, a Pacific island country, earlier this month recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz commended the island nation for its recognition on Wednesday evening in a tweet which also said: “We will continue to strengthen Jerusalem and to bring about the recognition and opening of diplomatic missions and embassies in our capital.”

Nauru’s mission to the United Nations in New York said in a letter dated August 16 to the Israeli mission that: “The Mission of Nauru has the honor to convey the decision of the Government of the Republic of Nauru to formally recognize the City of Jerusalem as the Capital City of the State of Israel.”

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The president of Honduras will recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Friday when he inaugurates a “diplomatic office” in Jerusalem, which he told reporters will be an extension of the Honduran embassy in Tel Aviv.

President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and officially moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem in May. Guatemala moved its embassy to Jerusalem just two days later. Earlier this year, Paraguay also announced plans to move its embassy, but reversed the decision months later.

Government officials from several countries, including the Czech Republic, Romania, Lithuania, Australia and Brazil, have expressed interest in moving their embassies to Jerusalem. In March, Hungary opened a diplomatic trade mission in Jerusalem, which is considered a branch of the Hungarian Embassy in Tel Aviv.

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