Brazil opening ‘diplomatic office’ in Jerusalem as Bolsonaro visits Israel

by Michael Burke - 03/31/19 2:12 PM ET

Brazil said Sunday that it has opened a diplomatic office in Jerusalem as a part of its embassy in Israel.

“Brazil decided to create an office in Jerusalem to promote trade, investment, technology and innovation as a part of its embassy in Israel,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, according to Reuters.

{mosads}The announcement comes as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro visits Israel.

Bolsonaro has previously pledged to move Brazil’s embassy in Israel from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem.

“As previously stated during our campaign, we intend to transfer the Brazilian Embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem. Israel is a sovereign state and we shall duly respect that,” Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter last year. That announcement came after the Trump administration last year moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then said in December that Bolsonaro told him it was a matter of “when, not if” Brazil will move its embassy to Jerusalem.

“Bolsonaro told me it was ‘when, not if’ he moves the embassy to Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said.

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