This move is contrary to EU policy, which refuses to recognize the Holy City as Israel’s capital.
By Nosson Shulman: Licensed Tour Guide of VIP Israel Tours & Authentic Virtual Tours (click here to check out his free trailer videos)
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In what will amount to a major diplomatic victory for Israel, Prime Minister Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic has announced that he will be moving the country’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in the coming months. Officially, the Eastern European country already recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish State. In 2019 along with Hungary, they were the first of the European Union (EU) countries to open up official branches of their embassies in Jerusalem (although their main offices are currently in Tel Aviv). Slovakia has since followed suit by opening a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem. Moving their embassies to the Holy City is significant, because they belong to the EU who officially refuses to recognize the Holy City as Israel’s capital. The EU actively (and obsessively) discourages other countries from doing so, often with threats against non-member European countries interested in joining the EU (for two examples, click here). This Slavic nation, however, has charted an independent approach to foreign policy. Prime Minister Fiala flatly stated, “I do not think we would have to proceed in consensus with all EU countries, we never had that in the case of Israel”.
The declaration made by the Czech Republic shouldn’t come as a surprise, since almost all the parties represented in the the 200-seat Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic (Parliament) are pro-Israel and expressed support for the move. Two days after the horrific October 7 massacre of Jews and Israelis by armed Palestinian civilians and terrorists, 5 of the 7 parties represented in the Chamber (representing 163 parliamentarians) voted for the motion to move the embassy, while the two remaining parties (who together hold 37 seats) refrained from officially taking a stance (no MPs voted against the resolution). The Czech Israel Allies Caucus, an active Pro-Israel group comprised of powerful Czech MPs, was established in recent years to boost legislative support for the Jewish State. These politicians have been actively encouraging MPs from other nations to join them in their efforts in recent months. As reported here, the parliaments of the Czech Republic and Slovakia recently celebrated Jerusalem day (the anniversary of Israel’s liberation of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War) thus becoming the first of the European Union countries to do so. They often block anti-Israel motions in the EU (for certain laws to be adopted, all 27 member states must give consent), for example the requirement to label products from the West Bank and the Golan Heights, a bill described by Czech lawmakers as being antisemitic. At the UN, the Czech Republic is a reliable vote against anti-Israel resolutions.
The Czech Republic and Israel have shared a long history. During Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, Czechoslovakia played a major role in Israel’s victory. When Arab countries attacked, most of Israel’s “Allies” refused to sell any weapons to the fledging state, leaving Israel vulnerable to annihilation. The Czech Republic stepped in, secretly supplying Israel with the equipment needed for victory. ‘
Once the move is completed, the Czech Republic will join the United States, Guatemala, Kosovo, Honduras and Papua New Guinea who have already moved their embassies to Jerusalem. Other countries have recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s eternal capital and pledged to move their embassies shortly, including the African nations of Liberia, Malawi, Congo, and Equatorial Guinea and the South American nations of Argentina and Paraguay (which was scheduled to make the move in November 2023 but postponed because of the war). The island nations of Nauru, Vanuatu, and Fiji recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, with the latter promising to move its embassy by the end of 2024.
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Nosson Shulman is a journalist and Licensed Tour Guide in Israel specializing in Biblical tours. To allow tourists to experience Israel during the Corona era, he created the new hit Israel tour video series which brings Israel to the home of viewers by simulating actual tours. To check out his free sneak preview tour videos, click here. To view sample tour itineraries or to inquire about private tour opportunities with a personalized itinerary on your next trip to Israel, click here.
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