At Least Ten Embassies are Expected to Move to Jerusalem

On December 6, 2017, President Trump announced that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel and that he had instructed the U.S. State Department to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. His declaration caused international reactions, both positive and negative, including the announcement by some countries of their plans to also move their embassies to Jerusalem.

Trump’s announcement came eight months after Russia announced Jerusalem was Israel’s capital in April 2017. Shortly after Trump’s announcement, officials from Guatemala announced their embassy would be moved as well.

After Guatemala’s announcement, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Likud MKs and reporters,

I told you recently there would be other countries that will recognize Jerusalem and move their embassies. I repeat: There will be more, this is just the beginning.

According to Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely ten countries are considering moving their embassy to Israel’s capital city.

Channel 10 reported that the Honduras Embassy would most likely be the next country to follow Guatemala. Israel reportedly signed an agreement with Honduras in 2016 to strengthen its armed forces in an effort to help it fight against organized crime and its newley reelected president, Juan Orlando Hernandez, graduated from MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.

The Walla news site reported that representatives from Romania and Slovakia expressed support about moving their embassies to Jerusalem as well.

The Times of Israel points to Paraguay and Togo as additional countries. The Israeli Foreign Ministry would not disclose which countries it was in discussion with, or confirm an speculations.

Yesterday Vice President Mike Pence stated that the U.S. Embassy would open in Jerusalem in 2019.