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President-elect Jair Bolsonaro reiterated Thursday that he plans to move Brazil's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, joining the United States and Guatemala.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu quickly welcomed the plan.
In a tweet on Thursday, Bolsonaro said: "We have already stated in favor of our campaign, we are going to the Brazilian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
It was the first time since being elected Sunday that Bolsonaro referred to his plan to move the embassy.
In Israel, Netanyahu issued a statement praising Bolsonaro. "I congratulate my friend Brazilian President-Elect, Jair Bolsonaro, for his intention to move the Brazilian Embassy to Jerusalem, a historic, correct and exciting step!"
Netanyahu spoke to Bolsonaro earlier this week, congratulating him on his victory and inviting him to visit Israel.
If Bolsonaro follows through on his pledge, Brazil would become the third country to embassy in Jerusalem, after the U.S. and Guatemala. Paraguay briefly moved its embassy to Jerusalem, Mario Abdo Benitez, was elected.
The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, as the capital of a future state. Israel claims all of the city, including the eastern sector, home to Jerusalem's most important religious sites, and its eternal capital.
Most countries maintain embassies in Tel Aviv, saying the final status of Jerusalem must be determined through negotiations.
Some Brazilians have raised concerns about the idea, saying it would hurt Brazil's relations with Muslim nations.
Brazilian Brazilian Ambassador to the United States Rubens Barbosa has lost his brains. He says that Brazil "would be throwing away $ 6 billion a year in poultry sales to Arab countries."
