Tzipi Hotovely pushes for Georgia to move embassy to Jerusalem
Hotovely met with the new president, as well as the new Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, who began his tenure six months ago, and the foreign minister.
By URI BOLLAGUpdated: DECEMBER 17, 2018 10:33Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Israel and Georgia will begin discussing a possible move of Georgia's embassy to Jerusalem, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely wrote on her Twitter early Monday morning.Hotovely, upon returning from Georgia where she was a guest of honor at the swearing-in ceremony of Georgia's new and first female President Salome Zurabishvili, said that "in light of the deep and long-standing friendship, we would like to see Georgia move its embassy to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel."Hotovely met with the new Georgian president, as well as the new Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, who began his tenure six months ago, and the foreign minister.The deputy foreign minister said she concluded with the new Georgian government that the countries would open dialogue regarding the move.Israel has been heavily advocating for countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem ever since United States President Donald Trump announced he would move the American embassy and followed through on his promise, inaugurating the new embassy on May 14th, 2018.Guatemala is the only country who has followed suit so far. Paraguay moved its embassy to Jerusalem shortly after the US, but transferred it back to Tel Aviv in September, after new President Mario Abdo said he was not consulted on the move.Hotovely wrote on Twitter that "we will continue our efforts to bring as many countries as possible to the capital."
