Israel welcomes Guatemala’s embassy move

Guatemala on Sunday became the first country to follow the United States’ lead and announce its intention to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said on his official Facebook account he instructed the country’s foreign ministry to move the embassy after talking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “God bless you, my friend, President Morales,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “I told you recently that there will be other countries that would recognize Jerusalem and announce the transfer of their embassies to it. Well here is the second country and I reiterate: It is only the beginning and it is important.” U.S. President Donald Trump on Dec. 6 recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and said the U.S. Embassy would relocate there. Neither Trump nor Morales set a timetable for the move. Guatemala and Israel have long shared security relations, which have included Israeli arms sales to the Central American country. Guatemala was one of only eight countries to vote in support of the United States during a United Nations General Assembly resolution last week declaring the action on Jerusalem “null and void.” Since the Dec. 6 announcement, at least 12 Palestinians have died in protests. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki criticized Guatemala’s decision, saying Morales was “dragging his country to the wrong side of history by committing a flagrant violation of international law.”