Israel to open embassy in Estonia

Sa’ar with Estonia’s prime minister, Kristen Michal, and Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, during which Sa’ar praised the Baltic state for its digital innovation.

By JNS

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on Wednesday that Jerusalem plans to open its first embassy in Estonia’s capital, Tallinn.

The announcement came as he completed a three-day tour of the Baltic states.

His remarks followed meetings with Estonia’s prime minister, Kristen Michal, and Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, during which Sa’ar praised the Baltic state for its digital innovation, particularly in E-Governance and its commitment to democracy.

“This reflects our ongoing will to strengthen our relations,” Sa’ar told his hosts.

“This important move will contribute to our economic and defense partnership. It will help us deal with shared challenges,” the foreign minister added.

It was a subtle acknowledgment of both countries’ proximity to wannabe regional hegemons; Russia concerning Estonia and Iran in Israel’s case.

While Estonia has been a NATO member since 2004, Russia’s brutal 2022 invasion of Ukraine has also caused alarm in northern European countries, including in Scandinavia as well as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the Baltic.

Sa’ar also provided a progress report on Israel’s regional wars against Iran, as well as its proxies, Hezbollah and Hamas.

“Israel’s operation against the Iranian regime—and other actions we took in this war—contribute directly and significantly also to European security,” said the foreign minister.

“Iran’s nuclear program was a huge threat to the international community. Along with the U.S., we sent it back many years. Iran’s ballistic missiles program threatened Europe too. We severely damaged it. And we harmed the Iranian drone supply. The very same technology used by Russia against Ukraine,” he added.