Papua New Guinea to open embassy in Jerusalem
Officials in Port Moresby have confirmed Papua New Guinea will inaugurate a new embassy in Jerusalem.
A view on the old city and the new city of Jerusalem, the capital city of the state of Israel. Jerusalem, Oct 16, 2018. Photo by Kobi Richter/TPS
A spokesperson for PNG Prime Minister James Marape said that he will pay an official visit to Israel to mark the embassy’s opening, which is reportedly scheduled for Sept. 5.
In February, PNG Foreign Minister Justin Tkachenko first notified his Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, that the southwest Pacific island country was interested in opening an embassy in Jerusalem.
The news follows on Sierra Leone’s announcement on Friday that it will also open an embassy in Jerusalem.
Paraguay is due to open an embassy in Jerusalem by the end of 2023.
The United States, Guatemala, Honduras and Kosovo are currently the only countries with embassies in Jerusalem. Most of the countries that Israel has diplomatic relations with maintain their embassies in the Tel Aviv area, though several also operate lower-level consulates, trade offices and other missions in the Israeli capital.
Despite the lack of formal recognition, visiting leaders and diplomats routinely meet Israeli leaders in Jerusalem at the Prime Minister’s Office, the President’s residence and the Knesset.
Israel annexed the eastern part of Jerusalem after reuniting the city during the Six-Day War of 1967.
Good on them.PNG may be a backward country but they are in the front of the pack on this issue and have the guts to act on their beliefs.