World

Guatemala to Keep Embassy in Jerusalem, New President Says

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Guatemala’s new President Alejandro Giammattei announced on the day of his inauguration that he would keep his country’s embassy in Israel on the territory of Jerusalem.
Sputnik

Giammattei held a meeting with Israel’s Minister of Science, Technology and Space Ofir Akunis on Tuesday in Guatemala City. Akunis attended Giammattei’s swearing in ceremony as the representative of the Israeli government.

"They talked about strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations. At the same time the minister thanked the President-elect for keeping the Guatemalan Embassy in Jerusalem," the Israel in Guatemala Twitter news channel reported.

Israel National News quoted Giammattei as saying on Tuesday that "We will leave the embassy in Jerusalem and declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization."

Giammattei was elected the new president of Guatemala in August 2019. Keeping the embassy in Jerusalem was one of the promises he made as president-elect last year.

The United States announced in May 2018 that it would relocate its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Guatemala’s then-president Jimmy Morales relocated his country’s embassy to Jerusalem soon after.

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