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Honduras Waiting for Israeli Reciprocity for Embassy Move

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez speaks during an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Ornitz
Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez speaks during an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Ornitz
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Honduras Waiting for Israeli Reciprocity for Embassy Move

Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez speaks during an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Ornitz
Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez speaks during an interview with Reuters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, US September 24, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Ornitz

Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez said on Friday that his government would transfer its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem once Israel opens an embassy in Tegucigalpa.

Hernandez announced the embassy move in August and a month later opened a commercial office in Jerusalem as an extension to Honduras' Tel Aviv-based embassy, Agence France Presse reported.

Moving an embassy to Jerusalem is highly contentious. Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians view east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. 

"We're just waiting for the state of Israel, reciprocally as is appropriate diplomatically, to open its office in Tegucigalpa and we'll be transferring our embassy to Jerusalem," said Hernandez.

Traditionally, most diplomatic missions in Israel have been in Tel Aviv as countries maintained a neutral stance over the status of Jerusalem.

Israel is currently represented in Honduras by its Guatemala embassy.

Guatemala was one of the first countries to follow the lead of US President Donald Trump when he moved his country's embassy to Jerusalem, sparking a rift between Washington and the Palestinian authorities.

Hernandez's statement came as Honduras took possession of a warship worth more than $50 million bought from Israel.

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Italian FM Meets Syria's Sharaa in Damascus

Italian FM Meets Syria's Sharaa in Damascus
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Italian FM Meets Syria's Sharaa in Damascus

Italian FM Meets Syria's Sharaa in Damascus

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met Syria's new ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus Friday, state media said, in the latest such visit from a European diplomat since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

State news agency SANA did not give further details about Tajani and Sharaa's discussions, just over a month after opposition fighters seized Damascus and Assad fled to Moscow.

Tajani earlier met his new counterpart Asaad al-Shibani, after which the Syrian official said he would soon make his first official tour of Europe.

Tajani spoke of easing the sanctions imposed on the war-torn country under its former leader.

"The sanctions absolutely must not hit the Syrian population," he said.

"They were imposed because there was a different regime. It's important to open discussions on the changed situation."

Western powers, including the United States and the European Union, imposed sanctions against Assad's government for his brutal crackdown after anti-government protests in 2011 that triggered civil war.

More than 13 years of conflict have killed in excess of half a million people, ravaged the economy, and pushed millions of people to flee their homes, including to Europe.

Tajani arrived after hosting talks with European counterparts and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Rome on Thursday, where Tajani said they are seeking a "stable and united Syria.”

The European Union's top diplomat earlier Friday said the 27-nation bloc could begin lifting sanctions if Syria's new rulers took steps to form an inclusive government that protects minorities.

"The EU could gradually ease sanctions provided there is tangible progress," foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote on X.

Shibani said he welcomed what he described as Tajani's focus on sanctions.

"We share his opinion that the reasons for imposing them no longer exist, and could be an obstacle to encouraging the return of refugees from outside Syria,” Shibani said.

Tajani earlier toured the landmark Umayyad mosque in Damascus.

"It's a great pleasure... to be here this morning to visit and pay homage to all Syrian believers," he told AFP at the mosque, which is about 1,300 years old.

He described the mosque as "one of the most beautiful" in the world.

The Italian minister earlier said he planned to announce an initial development aid package for Syria.

France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock visited Damascus last week.