Guatemala to relocate embassy to Jerusalem

Following in the footsteps of the United States, Guatemala has decided to recognise the Holy City as Israel’s capital and relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv in yet another controversial move.

“We talked about the excellent relations we have gad as nations since Guatemala supported the creation of the State of Israel,” said President of Guatemala, Jimmy Morales, following a telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “We are absolutely certain that it is the right route.”

On Friday, Netanyahu claimed that a number of countries are “seriously considering” following suit, though he neglected to name any of them. Tel Aviv has since been attempting to encourage other countries to recognise Jersualem as the Israeli capital.

Meanwhile, new housing construction plans in East Jerusalem which reportedly came about as a result of the US recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital have angered Palestinians who have referred to them as a “colonial dare”.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates criticised the plan, which seeks to construct 300 new housing units in the area. The ministry said the project is “part of Israel’s colonial and expansionist projects implemented by the Israeli government encouraged by the latest announcement of US President Donald Trump,” adding that the projects would not have been given way if it weren’t for the US government’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as “the capital of the occupying power”.

Israel has not yet officially announced the construction project, but Israeli media reported that the Planning and Building Committee of the Jerusalem Municipality would review the plans today.