Talks will be held by Israel and the United States with Honduras in an attempt to urge the latter to open an embassy in occupied Jerusalem the countries said on Tuesday as several countries refused to follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s much-criticized move.
U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez held a meeting in the Brazilian capital on the sidelines of the inauguration of right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
The three agreed to hold meetings in the capitals of each country “to advance the decision process to open embassies in both Tegucigalpa and Jerusalem” as well as “strengthen political relations and coordinate development cooperation in Honduras” the countries said in a joint statement.
The right-leaning Hernandez is the latest leader to consider following Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied city of Jerusalem which infuriated Palestinians and drew international condemnation.
Hernandez told reporters the trilateral talks represented “an important political alliance.”
Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut off aid to Honduras a poor nation of less than 10 million people over caravans of migrants crossing Mexico heading for the U.S. border.
Guatemala another country seeking closer U.S. ties quickly joined Trump’s decision and moved its embassy to occupied Jerusalem just two days after the U.S. opened offices in May. Paraguay also followed but a new government backtracked in September.
