Honduran President in Jerusalem to Inaugurate ‘Diplomatic Office’

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez has arrived in Israel ahead of a ceremony to inaugurate a “diplomatic office” in Jerusalem. Hernandez said the move amounted to his country’s “recognition that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.” In response, the Palestinian Authority – which claims the eastern part of Jerusalem as the capital of a future state – filed a complaint with the United Nations. In a statement, Honduras’ foreign ministry noted that the prospect of fully relocating its embassy to Jerusalem was being “analyzed and evaluated in the international and national context.” President Donald Trump in December 2017 recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the US Embassy there the following May. While Guatemala and Paraguay immediately followed suit, the latter shortly thereafter reversed its decision. A number of Eastern European nations, in addition to Brazil, have expressed a desire to move their embassies to Jerusalem but thus far have failed to press ahead due to either domestic or international pressure.