Christian Allies celebrate U.S., Guatemala embassy moves in Knesset
Congressman Juan Manuel Diaz Duran, chairman of the Guatemalan Israel Allies Caucus, spoke at the event on behalf of his government.
By LAHAV HARKOVUpdated: MAY 17, 2018 02:08Knesset Christian Allies Caucus chairman MK Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beytenu) speaks about the Guatemalen and US embassy move to Jerusalem, May 16, 2018 (Lahav Harkov)
Political and religious leaders from Israel, the US and Guatemala gathered in the Knesset on Wednesday to celebrate the American and Guatemalan embassies’ move to Jerusalem.Knesset Christian Allies Caucus director Josh Reinstein explained that the embassies moving to the capital is proof that the caucus’s premise works.“We’re celebrating the biggest victory of faith-based diplomacy that the world has ever seen,” Reinstein said. “We had this idea that you can take people who have biblical support for Israel and turn it into real political action and we can start doing things that people thought was unheard of, and that’s exactly what happened this week.”The Christian Allies Caucus is a multiparty caucus of 19 members of Knesset, aiming to foster communication between Israeli legislators and Christian leaders and politicians around the world. There are 38 Israel Allies Caucuses in nations worldwide, under the auspices of the Israel Allies Foundation.Congressman Juan Manuel Díaz- Durán, chairman of the Guatemalan Israel Allies Caucus, spoke at the event on behalf of his government.“The solidarity and friendship between the people of Guatemala and Israel has been very clear, since 1947, when the Republic of Guatemala played a determining role in world events by casting the second vote at the UN to recognize the State of Israel,” Díaz-Durán said.Rep. Alan Clemmons of the South Carolina House of Representatives, who authored the Israel plank in the Republican platform, stating that the US will move the embassy to Jerusalem, also attended the event, sporting a blue-and-white bow tie.“I’m very excited to be here today,” Clemmons said. “[We’re] honoring Guatemala and their decision to relocate their embassy in Jerusalem, Israel’s eternal capital. That’s meaningful to me being that we just celebrated the American Embassy. I’m looking forward to the next embassies opening in Jerusalem.”Knesset Christian Allies Caucus chairman Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beytenu) said that “Jerusalem” has the same root in Hebrew as the words “peace” and “wholeness,” and those are the things people should mention in their prayers for Jerusalem.“The moving of US and Guatemala embassies to Jerusalem is a historic milestone. I do believe that it is a path for peacemaking, as it recognizes the history and reflects the truth, and peace can only be based on the truth,” Ilatov said.
Deputy Minister for Diplomacy Michael Oren said the embassies moving to Jerusalem is “the realization of a 70-year-long dream, and a 2,000-year vision of an independent Jewish state in the Land of Israel with its eternal and undivided capital, Jerusalem, recognized by the most powerful nation on earth.”