Israel is closing its embassy in Paraguay in response to Paraguay reversing its decision to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday.
TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th September, 2018) Israel is closing its embassy in Paraguay in response to Paraguay reversing its decision to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday.
"Netanyahu ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to close the Israeli Embassy in Paraguay," the statement reads.
Earlier in the day, Paraguay's Foreign Minister Luis Alberto Castiglioni reportedly said that Paraguay stopped the process of moving the diplomatic mission to Jerusalem, which was launched in May under the decision of Paraguay's former President Horacio Cartes.
Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization's (PLO) Executive Committee Saeb Erekat said that the Palestinian authorities had welcomed Paraguay's decision.
"We commend Paraguay's decision to act in accordance with its obligations under international law by closing its embassy in Jerusalem and relocating it to Tel Aviv ... President [Mario] Abdo's courageous decision shows that the government of Asunción has chosen to go back to the traditional Latin American position of respect for international law and UN resolutions," Erekat said as quoted by the WAFA agency.
Paraguay was the third country to announce the relocation of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, after the United States and Guatemala.
