The Central American nation of Honduras recalled its ambassador from Israel on Friday for “consultations” over what it claimed was the “genocide” and other “serious humanitarian” concerns facing Gazans after the enclave’s ruling Hamas terrorist organization launched its war against Israel.
The move echoes similar decisions by Colombia, Chile and Bolivia, who did the same. Bolivia took the added step of completely severing its diplomatic ties with the Jewish State.
“Amid the grave humanitarian situation the Palestinian civilian population suffers in the Gaza Strip, the government of President Xiomara Castro has decided to immediately call Mr. Roberto Martinez, Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras in Israel, to consultations in Tegucigalpa,” Foreign Minister Enrique Reina said in a statement tweeted on X (formerly Twitter).
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in response that the Honduran government’s decision to recall its ambassador “ignores Israel’s right to defend itself” against Hamas, “which is worse than ISIS.”
Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians who invaded southern Israel on October 7 — Shabbat Simchat Torah — murdered more than 1,400 people — raping, beheading and torturing many prior to slaughtering them — and abducted 241 others, including 32 children and babies, as well as men, women and the elderly. All are still being held hostage in Gaza.
“Israel will fight Hamas terrorists until Hamas is eliminated from the Gaza Strip,” the ministry said in a blunt response.
“We expect the Honduran government to condemn Hamas, to support Israel’s right to defend itself, and not to take decisions that provide support to Hamas’ terrorism.”
In June 2021, Honduras became the fourth country to follow the example of the United States and opened its embassy in Jerusalem, following the United States — first to do so — and then Guatemala, Kosovo and Paraguay, although Paraguay reversed the move a few months later after facing heavy pressure from the Arab world.
In August 2022, Honduras announced that it was mulling the possibility of moving its embassy back to Tel Aviv in an announcement following a meeting between Honduran Foreign Minister Enrique Reina and Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riad Malki in Bogota.
Although the move was not announced, Honduras subsequently did indeed quietly move its embassy out of Israel’s capital city, and relocated it to Rishon Lezion, a suburb of Tel Aviv.
