Czech Republic to open diplomatic office in Jerusalem

The Czech Republic will establish a diplomatic office in Jerusalem, Czech foreign ministry announced.

On Wednesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Tomáš Petříček held a telephone call with his Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi.

“The Ministers followed up on their friendly exchange from the recent past. Minister Petříček expressed his hope in successful developments of the uneasy political situation in ‘Israel’ and also informed Ashkenazi of a positive reinforcement of the Czech presence in Jerusalem,” the statement of the foreign ministry in Prague declared.

It also stated, “The brief and friendly call has confirmed the lasting positive and strategic relationship between Czechia and Israel. This will contribute to the fulfilment of the long-term EU vision concerning a peace arrangement between Israel and the Palestinians, with Jerusalem as a future capital of two states.”

Also, the foreign ministry in Prague said it will permanently station a diplomat from the Tel Aviv embassy at its “honorary consulate” in Jerusalem.

“This is not about setting up a new embassy,” the statement clarified. Rather, the move is intended to support the work of the country’s embassy in Tel Aviv, to “further strengthen Czech-Israeli relations” and to make Czech officials more accessible to citizens living in Jerusalem.

The statement concluded, “The establishment of this office has nothing to do with the ongoing Middle East peace process and does not indicate a change in the Czech Republic’s long-held position on this matter.”

Celebrating this announcement, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said, “This is an important step that is indicative of the friendship between the two peoples and the recognition of Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.”

In recent weeks, several countries in different parts of the world have stated their intention to open embassies in Jerusalem, including Malawi, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Serbia and Kosovo.

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