The Israeli prime minister made a plea to visiting Latin American officials to move their nations’ embassies in Israel to the Jewish state’s capital.
By: World Israel News Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday hosted at his Jerusalem office a delegation of foreign dignitaries representing Latin American parliaments.
Among the topics Netanyahu addressed were embassy relocations to Israel’s capital, Jerusalem, and his visit to Guatemala for a regional meeting in the fall of this year.
Netanyahu intoned, “You’re sitting now in the seat of the Israeli government. It’s here in Jerusalem. Right next to us, is the Knesset, our parliament. It’s in Jerusalem. Right next to that is the Supreme Court. It’s in Jerusalem. The President’s house is in Jerusalem.”
“Jerusalem is the capital of Israel … and it will always be the capital of Israel,” Netanyahu added. “It’s been the capital of Israel for three thousand years. This is a description of our government under King Solomon, the son of King David, three thousand years ago. Jerusalem has been our capital for three thousand years and it will be our capital.”
After thanking Guatemala and Paraguay for moving their embassies to the capital, Netanyahu requested, “I ask you … to ask your governments to move their embassies to Jerusalem. So we can say, ‘Next year in Jerusalem.’”
Netanyahu also commented on Israel’s warming relations with Latin America, noting, “I’m very proud of the fact that I was the first Israeli prime minister to visit any country south of Texas. I had an opportunity to go first to Argentina, then to Colombia, then to Mexico. And I intend to have another meeting in [the fall]. We’re going to Guatemala for a regional meeting, so I’ll have the opportunity to meet the leaders of all of your countries.”