The new president of Brazil announced today to be moving its embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel to Jerusalem and with this it becomes the second country after United States to take the step.
US moved the embassy last year in May.
In a televised interview President Jair Bolsonaro said, “The decision is taken, it’s only a matter of when it will be implemented.”
Bolsonaro represents far-right party and added further that only Iran is speaking against him while it is believed some more radical Arab nations would adopt some sanctions against Brazil.
Meanwhile, Israeli Economic Minister Eli Cohen had earlier said the decision would improve ties of Brazil and Israel and “usher in a new era of political and economic ties with the largest country in South America.”
Israel is having control on all of Jerusalem since its forces seized East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War.
Honduras and Moldova too have signaled to be moving their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Similarly, in December 2017 Guatemala announced moving its embassy.
Last December Moldova President Igor Dodon said in his visit to Israel that he wishes to move embassy to Jerusalem.
European Union has been opposing the move of embassies from to Jerusalem and relations with Moldova grew more tense thereafter.
There are currently 86 embassies in Tel Aviv and 158 countries have diplomatic relations with Israel.
