Honduras Aims to Move Embassy From Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

Honduras is in the midst of negotiations with Israel over a possible move of its embassy to Jerusalem.

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The Central American country, who’s neoliberal President Juan Orlando Hernandez (JOH) is known for often capitulating to theUnited States interests, has sent a delegation to meet Israeli officials Sunday to talk about the potential move of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
This decision would follow in the footsteps of the U.S. and Guatemala who have both made the controversial move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

According to local media, Honduras, in return, wants Israel to open an embassy in its capital of Tegucigalpa. It also wants to increase trade between the two countries and have Israel allow access to experts to help various sectors of its economy, including technology, agriculture, and water management.

Another source also said that Honduras is trying to get into the good graces of the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump.

This move would, however, go against the large majority of the international community that considers Jerusalem to be an unresolved contested area that should be the shared capital of both Israel and Palestine, with Israel West Jerusalem and East Jerusalem as future Palestine’s capital.

The recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital has been a major policy push of the Netanyahu administration, putting pressure on smaller, economically unstable countries by threatening to deny economic cooperation.

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Recently, Australia took the step of recognizing “West” Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a symbolic move that allows the possibility of later recognizing “East” Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state.

Emmanuel Nahshon, the foreign ministry spokesman, confirmed the delegation’s visit, but said only that there was an “ongoing process of discussions that has yet to mature.”

Since both Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernandez will be in Brazil for the January inauguration of far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, some believe that efforts are being made to set up a meeting between the two leaders to cement the mission’s move to Jerusalem.

Bolsonaro also announced his intention to move Brazil’s embassy to Jerusalem. The Arab league decided to dispatch a “high-ranking” delegation to Brazil to inform the authorities that they need to abide by international law regarding Jerusalem.

Israel annexed Jerusalem in 1967 which has not been accepted internationally.