Washington _ Palestine News Network
US Vice President Mike Penny has sought to persuade Paraguay to keep its embassy in Israel in the occupied city of Jerusalem and not to return it to Tel Aviv, the White House said Thursday.
After the inauguration of the Paraguayan embassy in role models in the United States last May, the country in South America amended its decision to declare Wednesday the return of the embassy to Tel Aviv, which angered Israel, which closed its embassy in Asunción.
"The Vice President (US) strongly encouraged the President of Paraguay, Abdou Benitez, to implement Paraguay´s previous commitment to relocate the embassy (to Jerusalem), in recognition of the historical relationship the country has maintained with both Israel and the United States," said Penny´s office.
The White House said the Paraguayan President had replied that his country would remain a "permanent partner of Israel." The two men decided to work for a solution to the Middle East conflict.
In a statement announcing the return of the embassy to Tel Aviv, the Paraguayan government pledged to "contribute to the intensification of regional and international diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East."
Commenting on the Paraguayan move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced a "disappointing decision" and "a high degree of seriousness" and "damaging the bilateral relations between the two countries."
By its step in May, Paraguay was the third country to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem after the United States and Guatemala, contrary to the international consensus to keep embassies outside Jerusalem in view of the disputed status of the city and the continuation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeu on Thursday spoke with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.
The United States transferred its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14 May.
