New Israeli ambassador urges UK to move its embassy to Jerusalem
In an interview with the Jewish Chronicle, Tzipi Hotovely, Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and former Israeli settlement affairs minister, has called on the British government to move its embassy to Jerusalem, defended the settlements, and said that Brexit would help trade between the nations.
Hotovely also welcomed Arab-Israeli normalization agreements and having open relations with the Arab nations, saying she expected more such normalization deals to be announced.
“There are more countries to follow. These are such exciting times in terms of peace,” she said
Hotovely said she hoped to raise the issue of the British Embassy with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
“I think all embassies should be located in Jerusalem. I really hope we will have an opportunity to discuss that with this government and to say that historically I believe this is the right thing to do because it reflects the reality of Jerusalem being our capital since Israel was established,” she said.
She added, “All countries in the world should locate their embassies where the capital is. This is very strange to not locate embassies where the state has decided its capital is.”
She also said she hoped that the United Kingdom would relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, after the U.S. embassy was relocated in May 2018, describing this move as a “good role model.”
“The whole myth of making the Middle East a dangerous place by moving the embassy to Jerusalem is just not correct. Look at the reality: The Middle East was never more flourishing in terms of peace agreements,” she said.
Hotovely also questioned the U.K. Foreign Office’s use of the term, “Occupied Palestinian Territories.” Such statements, she said, “don’t reflect reality.”
“Settlements are legal according to international law. This is the Israeli policy about it; this is the Foreign Ministry’s interpretation of international law,” said Hotovely, dismissing the idea of settlements being in breach of international law.
Earlier this year, during a ceremony celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which signalled British support for the creation of the occupation state of Israel, Hotovely claimed the occupation state gives equal rights to both Palestinians and Israelis.
As a former settlements minister, Hotovely shares responsibility for upholding Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank – which she has called ‘a myth’ – and she is a leading advocate for annexation.
