The announcement of the new office strengthens Israel’s international efforts to legalize the city as its capital
Russia plans to open a branch of the Israeli embassy in Jerusalem, the Russian foreign ministry said on Friday. The new outpost, which an official statement described as “Consular Section of the Russian Embassy in Israel’, cementing Moscow’s claim to the land on which it stands.
Describing the agreement signed with Jerusalem, the foreign ministry confirmed that the property, currently a car park on the corner of King George Street and Ma’alot Street in central Jerusalem, will house the Russian diplomat’s residence and conference hall as “Diplomatic achievement.”
“We believe that this step is fully in line with the interests of further strengthening the friendly multi-faceted relations between Russia and Israel, and it is also in line with our country’s unchanging policy on the fair settlement of the Middle East issue.the Russian embassy said in a statement on Friday.
Russia claims ownership of dozens of properties in Jerusalem, some of which are locked in long-running legal disputes. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had promised Russia the most famous of them, the Alexander Court, his decision was overturned by a court in 2022. The situation remains unresolved despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s personal plea to former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett last year.
Since the United States moved its Israeli embassy from the internationally recognized capital Tel Aviv to the disputed city of Jerusalem in 2018, a handful of countries have also moved their embassies there, including Guatemala and Honduras, and several more are expected to follow suit .
Hungary is said to be expanding its Jerusalem trade office to embassy status, which would make it the first EU country to do so, although the government has neither confirmed nor denied Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen’s claims.
While Israel has made every effort to avoid being seen as picking sides in the Ukrainian conflict, it has voted for Kiev on U.N. resolutions and has provided humanitarian and defense aid. However, so far, it has not delivered actual weapons systems to Ukraine.
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