The small, southeastern, European country officially opened its embassy in Israel’s capital city of Jerusalem on Sunday; The agreement to do so came last year when several countries agreed to normalize their diplomatic ties with the Jewish State.
In early September 2020, the small, southeastern, European country of Kosovo elected to normalize its diplomatic ties with the Jewish State. Though a small country, the move came at a significant time when other countries in the region were also reevaluating their relationship(s) with Israel. Other countries that opted to do the same include the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.
The series of agreements, brokered by the previous US administration led by President Donald Trump, has reshaped the Middle East.
Following the announcement of the normalization of ties between Israel and Kosovo, the White House released a statement saying that Kosovo was “committed to opening a commercial office in Jerusalem this month and moving its embassy there in July.” As of Sunday, four months ahead of time, the embassy has officially opened in Israel’s capital city.
Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora announces that the Kosovo Embassy in the State of Israel, with headquarters in Jerusalem, officially has been opened.”
Kosovo is the first Muslim-majority country to establish its embassy in Jerusalem – a move that Turkey condemned.