“Hungary’s foreign minister opened a trade office in Jerusalem that will have official “diplomatic status,” during a short visit to Israel Tuesday.”
“The new trade office is considered a “branch” of the Central European country’s embassy in Israel, which will remain in Tel Aviv.”
““This is a very exciting moment for us because it’s the first European diplomatic mission opened in Jerusalem in many decades and three Hungarian diplomats are going to be assigned to this office for trade purposes,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at the mission’s opening ceremony. “
“In his speech, Netanyahu mentioned US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the opening of the U.S. embassy in the city in May 2018.”
““I have to underline here once again that we reject to combine restrictive economic and commercial measures with political issues,” [Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said,] reiterating his government’s opposition to the European Union’s directive to label Israeli goods produced in settlements.”
“The opening of the trade issue was first announced last month during a visit to Jerusalem by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.”
“Several Western European states, including France, have consulates in Jerusalem that serve primarily — but not only — Palestinians. But they are considered consular missions that fulfill a “totally different” objective than embassies or trade offices, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Emmanuel Nahshon.”
Read more: In first for EU state, Hungary opens diplomatic trade office in Jerusalem
2021-week12
