4 yıl önce

Kosovo formally establishes diplomatic relations with Israel

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said he had approved Kosovo's "formal request to open an embassy in Jerusalem."

AFP

Israel and Kosovo hold virtual ceremony establishing diplomatic relations on February 1, 2021.

Israel and Kosovo have established diplomatic ties, with the Muslim-majority territory recognising Jerusalem as the Jewish state's capital, putting it at odds with the rest of the Islamic world.

In a ceremony held over Zoom in Jerusalem and Pristina, Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and his counterpart from Kosovo Meliza Haradinaj Stublla signed a joint declaration establishing ties.

Ashkenazi said he had approved Kosovo's "formal request to open an embassy in Jerusalem."

Israel last year inked a series of deals brokered by former US president Donald Trump to establish diplomatic relations with Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.

Join us LIVE for a special ceremony marking the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of #Kosovo and the State of Israel: 🇮🇱🤝🇽🇰

▶️https://t.co/bfAU8fA10M pic.twitter.com/iMrwaHSAxf
— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) February 1, 2021

Abraham Accords

Those agreements, known collectively as the Abraham Accords, triggered criticism in many majority-Muslim countries.

But the Arab parties to the Abraham Accords have all maintained that their diplomatic missions in Israel will be in Tel Aviv.

That position is in line with global consensus against recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital until the Palestinian conflict is resolved.

🔴 BREAKING: AJC welcomes the establishment of full diplomatic relations between Israel 🇮🇱 and Kosovo 🇽🇰.

This is a monumental step in reinforcing Kosovo's warm ties to the Jewish people and Israel, a move long advocated by AJC. pic.twitter.com/xzI8Hn84fr
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) February 1, 2021

Kosovo seeks legitimacy

In September, Trump announced at a summit originally organised to strike a deal between Kosovo and its former war foe Serbia that Kosovo and the Jewish state would establish diplomatic ties.

But the most eye-catching part of the summit was an announcement by Kosovo that it would mutually recognise Israel, and Serbia saying it would follow Washington's lead in moving its embassy to Jerusalem.

So far, however, Serbia has failed to honour its pledge, with some officials claiming the deal was non-binding.

Kosovo also said it was ready to set up its Israel mission in Jerusalem, in exchange for Israel's recognition, as it seeks to further legitimise its 2008 declaration of independence from Serbia and statehood.