Honduras’ new Palestinian president-elect vows to rebuild ties with Israel

Right-wing, pro-Trump candidate declared winner of Honduras’ presidential election, promises Israel’s foreign minister he will work to repair relations hurt by the left-wing incumbent.

By World Israel News Staff

Honduras’ new president-elect has vowed to repair relations with Israel after being declared the winner of last month’s heavily contested election.

On Wednesday, the Honduran National Electoral Council certified the results of the November 30 presidential vote, formally declaring Nasry Asfura of the National Party the winner and president-elect.

Asfura narrowly edged out a centrist candidate, Salvador Nasralla of the Liberal Party, by a margin of 40.3% to 39.6% in a three-way vote.

President-elect Asfura is the son of Christian Arabs who emigrated from the British Mandate for Palestine in the 1940s.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Asfura Wednesday, after President Donald Trump endorsed him ahead of the November election.

“The United States congratulates President-elect Nasry Asfura of Honduras on his clear electoral victory, confirmed by Honduras’ National Electoral Council,” Rubio said.

“The United States urges all parties to respect the confirmed results so that Honduran authorities may swiftly ensure a peaceful transition of authority to President-elect Nasry Asfura.”

After being declared the winner, Asfura spoke by phone with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who also offered his congratulations.

According to a statement by the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Asfura and Sa’ar agreed to “strengthen” ties between the two countries – more than two years after the country’s far-left incumbent, Xiomara Castro, recalled the Honduran ambassador to Israel over the Gaza war.

“Honduras and Israel have a historic relationship that began 72 years ago with the establishment of the State of Israel,” the Foreign Ministry said Thursday morning.

“In recent years, however, under the current administration, relations between Israel and Honduras deteriorated. After Oct. 7, Honduras recalled its ambassador from Israel and has not since appointed a new ambassador to Israel.

“In addition, Honduras has not yet accepted the credentials of Israel’s ambassador to Honduras. In the conversation between Minister Sa’ar and President-elect Asfura, the two agreed to strengthen bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries. During the call, Minister Sa’ar also invited the president-elect to visit Israel.”

Sa’ar took to X shortly after the call, writing that the incoming president seeks to improve bilateral relations.

“I was glad to congratulate the President-elect of Honduras, ‘Tito’ Asfura, on his election as President of Honduras. I conveyed our warm wishes to the people of Honduras, wished him success in his role, and invited him to visit Israel.”

“Honduras has a long history of friendship with the State of Israel and the Jewish people. We agreed to work to strengthen bilateral relations for the benefit of both countries,” Sa’ar wrote.

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, also a member of the National Party, relocated his country’s embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in 2021 following a similar move by the US three years earlier.

However, with the election of Castro later in 2021, ties between Israel and Honduras cooled, culminating in the recalling of the Honduran ambassador two years later.

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