Israel welcomed Nauru’s “important decision” to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
The Republic of Nauru is an island country in Micronesia, in the Central Pacific. It is the third-smallest country in the world, after Vatican City and Monaco.
“I applaud Nauru’s important decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” Israel’s Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz stated Thursday.
He said that the decision was a result of President Donald Trump’s historic recognition of Jerusalem, which prompted other countries to take “this important step.”
“We will continue to strengthen Jerusalem’s diplomatic position! We will continue to work to bring more countries to the recognition and the opening of delegations in Jerusalem,” he added.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Hotovely likewise welcomed Nauru’s decision.
“Our friend Nauru continues to stand by us in all the important decisions. The Foreign Ministry will continue to work for widespread international recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” she stated.
The move comes just days before Honduras will upgrade its diplomatic presence in Jerusalem with a commercial and cooperation office, a step towards the move of its embassy to the capital.
Brazil announced in April that it will establish a trade mission in Jerusalem, thus expanding its diplomatic presence in the capital.
In March, Romania announced it will relocate its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Hungary in March held a dedication ceremony for its new diplomatic trade mission in Jerusalem. The diplomatic trade mission will be a branch of the Hungarian Embassy in Tel Aviv.
The US was the first to make the historic move in May 2018.
Australia and Russia have recognized west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Written by Aryeh Savir/TPS | Photo by Esty Dziubov/TPS