…and now the third
Paraguay has opened its embassy in Jerusalem following the United States and Guatemala.
Photo: Yonatan Zindel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Horacio Cartes Photo Kobi Gideon (GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Paraguay’s President Horacio Cartes: “Our friendship is expressed in so many ways. We recognise and remember the role that Paraguay played in saving Jews before the Holocaust, during the Holocaust, receiving Jewish refugees after the Holocaust. As it turns out today was not only a meeting of nations, it was a meeting of families and my wife’s family, very few survived the Holocaust. One of them came here, her father, my late father-in-law and another went to Paraguay. And it turns out that the distinguished delegation here, which includes the distinguished ministries and the ambassadors and others, they know the Tauber family.
We know that it’s one of the most advanced economies in all of Latin America. We know that you seek a better future for your people. You have wonderful plans, you’ve begun to execute them. We want to be part of this. We think that the combination of Israel and Paraguay can lead to great things for both our peoples and for South America. So we intend to make good on it and I can say next year in Asunción.
You have joined the historic decision of President Trump. He has changed policy in fundamental ways not only on Jerusalem but also on Iran. If you asked most of the governments and most of the leaders in the Middle East what is the principle barrier to peace? What is the greatest threat to our security? They would say three things: Iran, Iran and Iran. And President Trump has taken a firm position, which we welcome, against Iran. It was echoed by him and today by the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, very strong position: No enrichment, tough sanctions and Iran should get out of Syria. We believe this is the right policy. We believe it’s the only policy that could ultimately guarantee the security of the Middle East and peace in our region.
And we call on all countries to follow America’s lead here because Iran is an aggressive force. If Iran wanted to seep peaceful nuclear energy they would need not a single centrifuge. They don’t need centrifuges for enrichment. If Iran wanted to pursue a peaceful program, nuclear program, they would not hide their secret archives for making nuclear weapons. The first thing that de Klerk did in South Africa when he destroyed their nuclear program, the first thing he destroyed was their archive. The first thing that was destroyed when the Libyan nuclear program was stopped was the archive. But Iran did not destroy the archive. Iran hid the archive, lied about it, moved it from place to place because they’re seeking nuclear weapons and conquest. The American position prevents them from having nuclear weapons and breaks the cash machine that they were using to fund their conquest of the Middle East. Thank you America. This is the right policy.”
Jerusalem’s mayor Nir Barkat commented: “Tonight we have illuminated the walls of the Old City with the flag of Paraguay in recognition of the transfer of the Paraguayan embassy to Jerusalem. We are thankful to the President Horacio Cartes Jara for this courageous decision.
