Georgia to open cultural centre in Jerusalem 

Georgia’s Israel embassy confirmed yesterday that it will open a cultural centre in Jerusalem, becoming the eighth country to do so.

Following the announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office said: “We welcome the centre’s opening.”

Details regarding when and where it will happen are still being discussed, the Jewish News Syndicate reported.

Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovel, who will be appointed Israel’s next diaspora affairs minister supported the decision, saying: “More and more countries are joining the historic process that began with the US, and are recognising the historic connection between the Jewish people and Jerusalem,” adding that, “as a daughter of immigrants who came to Israel from Georgia, I am proud of this move and hope it will be completed with the embassy moving to Jerusalem.”

Only two weeks ago, Brazil opened a trade office in Jerusalem during which Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of Brazil’s right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, pointed out that his father’s government is going to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to the Holy City, following in the footsteps of the US and several other countries.

READ: Brazil and Israel are complicit in denying Palestinian rights in Jerusalem

In 2018, Hotovely asked Georgia’s first female President Salome Zourabichvili to move her country’s embassy to Jerusalem, “in light of the deep and longstanding friendship” between the countries.

The two concluded that the countries would open dialogue regarding the move. Zourabichvili plans to visit Israel next month for the World Holocaust Forum, along with many other world leaders including the UK’s Prince Charles.

Hotovely also asked Zurabishvili to think about relocating her country’s embassy to occupied Jerusalem, Israel Hayom reported.

Israel has been heavily advocating for countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem ever since US President Donald Trump moved the American embassy to the city on 14 May 2018.

No serious measures have been taken by the Arab states in response to such illegal actions by the US. They simply condemned the action, while normalising their relations with the occupation state.

Honduras, Hungary, Australia, Brazil and the Czech Republic have trade offices in the capital, and Slovakia and Ukraine are also expected to open similar offices, according to the Jerusalem Post.

READ: Palestine and the stifling status quo