DRC to move its embassy in 'Israel' to Jerusalem
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- The Democratic Republic of the Congo plans to relocate its embassy in ‘Israel’ from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
- The move would make the DRC one of a small number of countries with diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, whose status remains disputed.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) plans to move its embassy in ‘Israel’ from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to a joint statement issued by the two countries.
The announcement came during DRC President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi’s state visit to ‘Israel’, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.
The two sides said they would take steps to relocate the diplomatic mission to Jerusalem, without providing a specific timeline.
The move is politically sensitive because the status of Jerusalem remains one of the core issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
‘Israel’ claims Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinian Authority seeks occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
Most countries have historically maintained their embassies in the Tel Aviv area to avoid taking a position on Jerusalem’s disputed status and to preserve room for future peace negotiations.
The US, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Fiji and Somaliland currently have embassies in Jerusalem.
Colombia and the Pacific island nation of Nauru have also announced plans in recent months to establish diplomatic missions in the city.
If implemented, the DRC’s move would bring the number of embassies in Jerusalem to 11.
