Israel, Muslim-Majority Country Kosovo Announce Resumption of Diplomatic Ties

Israel and the Muslim-majority European country Kosovo today formally restored diplomatic relations.

According to the reports, due to the coronavirus, the diplomatic relations ceremony held via online video link in which a memorandum of understanding was signed under which Kosovo will now open its embassy in Jerusalem.

Donald Trump announced the resumption of relations between Israel and Kosovo during an economic agreement between Kosovo and Serbia in September last year, on the basis of which Serbia also agreed to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

Speaking at the signing ceremony via online video conference, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the new ties were historic and reflected changes in the region and Israel’s relations with Arab and Muslim countries.

So far, only two countries, the United States and Guatemala have embassies in Jerusalem, while Honduras and Malawi have followed suit and vowed to open embassies.

Kosovo Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj said Kosovo and Israel have a historic relationship and have come a long way to restore it.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after a decade of guerrilla warfare.

It should be noted that after the six-day war in 1967, Israel occupied East Jerusalem as well as the West Bank and declared the entire city as its united capital.

Palestine claims the Arab-majority eastern region and says it will be the future Palestinian state.

UN resolutions warned all countries to refrain from relocating their embassies until the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved.

At the request of the Zionist state, the United States had a law since 1995 to move the Washington embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem, but the law was suspended every six months after its passage.

However, US President Donald Trump announced in December last year that he would open an embassy in occupied Jerusalem, recognizing it as the capital of Israel.

The United States opened its embassy in Jerusalem on May 14, 2018, the 70th anniversary of Israel’s founding, and Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, arrived in Israel exclusively with her husband, Jared Kushner, to attend the opening ceremony.

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