Israel is closing its embassy in Paraguay and recalling its ambassador from Asunción to protest against Paraguay’s decision to move its Israeli embassy from Jerusalem back to Tel Aviv. It comes just weeks after president Mario Abdo Benítez was sworn in as the country’s new leader. “Paraguay is a country of principles,” Mr Abdo Benítez tweeted. Mr Abdo Benítez belongs to the same conservative party as his predecessor Horacio Cartes, who inaugurated Paraguay’s new embassy in Jerusalem. Palestinian foreign minister Riad Malki, who met two weeks ago with Mr Abdo Benítez, welcomed Paraguay’s decision as a new Palestinian diplomatic achievement.

Source: The Irish Times September 06, 2018 17:48 UTC