Honduras opens Jerusalem trade office ahead of embassy move

Honduras officially opened its trade office in Jerusalem on Sunday as a “first step” before moving its embassy to Israel’s capital.

By World Israel News Staff

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez attended the official opening of  Honduras’ trade office in Jerusalem.

Hernandez hailed the development as Honduras’ “first step” toward moving his country’s embassy to Israel’s capital, referring to the date as a “historic day for Honduras and Israel,” Times of Israel reported.

Honduras’ Embassy in Israel is slated to open in Jerusalem next month, Hernandez announced.

Currently, the trade office enjoys “diplomatic status” as an arm of the Honduran embassy in Tel Aviv and is designed to foster investment and strengthen commercial and diplomatic relations between the two nations.

The opening included a warm exchange between Netanyahu and Hernandez, and their respective spouses. The opening followed a statement last week made by Hernandez acknowledging that opening the trade office in Jerusalem represented “recognition” of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

At the event on Sunday, Netanyahu also committed to opening an Israeli office of trade in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras.

Honduras follows the United States and Guatemala, which have moved their embassies to Jerusalem, and the Czech Republic, Hungary and Australia, which have also opened trade offices in the city. Similar intentions have also been announced by Slovakia, Brazil and Ukraine, but have yet to materialize.

Earlier in the day on Sunday, Hernandez visited holy sites in Jerusalem, including the Western Wall, where he was hosted by Chief Rabbi of the site, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich.