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Paraguay has announced that it will move its embassy to Israel to Tel Aviv, less than four months after its transfer to Jerusalem. In response, Israel closed its embassy in Asunción and recalled its ambassador for consultation.
"Paraguay wants to contribute to the intensification of regional diplomatic efforts to achieve a broad, just and lasting peace in the Middle East," Luis Alberto Castiglioni, South American Foreign Minister, told the Israeli newspaper on Wednesday. Haaretz reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has quickly criticized the decision, saying his country "considers with great severity the unusual decision of Paraguay, which will darken bilateral relations," the statement said. The time of Israel.
The relocation of the embassy took place under the administration of former President Horacio Cartes, who left office last month. The decision made the country of Latin America the third country in the world, after the United States and Guatemala, to open an embassy in the historic city, recognized by Israelis and Palestinians as their capital.
The United States became the first country in the world to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in December. Washington then moved its embassy to the historic city, opening the facilities in May, while Palestinians were launching large-scale demonstrations in the opposition. Israeli forces clashed with protesters, killing dozens of protesters.
Card's successor, Mario Abdo Benitez, who is a member of the same conservative Colorado party and grandson of a Lebanese immigrant, has now reversed Paraguay's controversial movement. After the initial decision in May, Carlos Mateo Balmelli, a respected member of the opposition Liberal Party in Paraguay, called the decision "an error in every respect".
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"This will provoke the Arab world and involve us in a conflict, at a time when we should all build bridges," he said. The Guardian reported. "We, the Paraguayans, do not want to echo Donald Trump's policy."
South America is also home to a large immigrant population from Lebanon, which views Israel as an enemy and has no official diplomatic ties with the neighboring country. Reports have also suggested that the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is conducting operations in Paraguay, particularly in Cuidad del Este, on the border of Argentina and Brazil.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki said two weeks ago that Paraguay had pledged to make the embassy in Tel Aviv, according to Associated Press. Following Wednesday's announcement, Al-Malki hailed this decision as "a new Palestinian diplomatic achievement".
Paraguay already officially recognizes Palestine as a state, with 137 other UN member states. In particular, Asuncion's decision to send his embassy to Tel Aviv comes just two days after the new Colombian president, Ivan Duque, confirmed that he would not reverse his predecessor's recent decision to formally recognize the status quo. State of Palestine. The Jerusalem Post reported.
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