Although it isn’t yet official, the first foreign embassy has made its transfer to Jerusalem on Tuesday.
Well before sunset, the national flag of Guatemala was flying high in the sky above the Malha Technology Park in the Israeli capital, its new location, as seen in a photo snapped by Hebrew-language Makor Rishon correspondent Ariel Kahana.
עדכון: שגרירות ראשונה בבירה. דגל גוואטמלה נתלה לפני זמן קצר בגן הטכנולוגי במלחה, י ר ו ש ל י ם. חנוכת השגרירות תהיה ב-16/5 אך הכניסה המעשית הייתה היום. מזל טוב! pic.twitter.com/MoVNN1fjT4
— Ariel Kahana (@arik3000)
Guatemala’s President Jimmy Morales announced to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee annual convention in March 2018 that he had ordered the relocation of his nation’s embassy to Jerusalem on May 16, two days after the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, to mark the 70th Independence Day of the Jewish State.
“In May of this year we will celebrate Israel’s 70th anniversary, and under my instructions two days after the U.S. will move its embassy, Guatemala will return and permanently move its embassy to Jerusalem,” Morales said at the time. “This decision strongly evidences Guatemala’s continued support of Israel, and we are sure that many other countries will follow in our steps.
“I would like to thank President Trump for leading the way,” he added. “His courageous decision has encouraged us to do what is right.”