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Equatorial Guinea to move embassy to Jerusalem

The African nation would become the third country to move its embassy to Israel’s capital, after the United States and Guatemala.

By Associated Press

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that Equatorial Guinea would move its embassy to Jerusalem in the latest sign of improving ties with African nations.

It would become the third country to move its embassy to Israel’s capital, after the United States and Guatemala. Kosovo and Malawi have also announced plans to open embassies in Jerusalem.

During his term as president, Donald Trump moved the embassy to Jerusalem in 2018 and recognized that the city is Israel’s capital.

Jerusalem is home to the nation’s seat of government and is also the location of the Jewish people’s holiest site, the Temple Mount.

The Palestinian Authority angrily condemned the embassy move and cut off contacts with his administration in response.

Netanyahu said he spoke to Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Mbasogo by phone and was told that the country would be moving its embassy to Jerusalem.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu noted that Israel is continuing to deepen its cooperation with African countries and said that Israel is returning to Africa and Africa is returning to Israel in a big way,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.

Netanyahu has boasted of improving ties with several countries in Africa and Asia that long shunned Israel at the Palestinians’ behest.