Paraguay reopens embassy in Jerusalem

​​​​​​​By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Paraguay reopened its embassy Thursday in Jerusalem with a ceremony that was attended by Paraguayan President Santiago Pena and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Pena arrived Wednesday in Israel on the eve of the embassy’s relocation from Tel Aviv -- a move hailed as “courageous” by Netanyahu.

"Today is a historic day for our country. We have opened the Embassy of the Republic of Paraguay in Jerusalem, reaffirming the ties of friendship and cooperation with our sister nation, Israel," Pena wrote X. “This step symbolizes our commitment to shared values ​​and the strengthening of ties that build a future of peace, development and mutual understanding.”

Paraguay held a ceremony in May 2017 to inaugurate the embassy in Jerusalem. In September 2018, that decision was reversed with the embassy relocated back to Tel Aviv.