Kosovo and Israel normalize relations in virtual ceremony · CITI

Kosovo and Israel formally normalized diplomatic relations on Monday. The foreign ministers signed a statement during the virtual ceremony. The request for the Kosovo Embassy in Jerusalem has been approved.

According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, this is the first time such an event has ended with a virtual ceremony. Israeli Minister Kafi Ashkenazi and his Kosovo colleague Melissa Hardinaz-Stubla spoke via Zoom, which included representatives of the Jewish-Kosovar community. Each contract was scanned after the first signature and emailed to the second signature.

Kosovo’s foreign minister speaks of “historic achievement that brings joy to the people of Kosovo and the Jewish people.” During the virtual ceremony, both Hardinaz-Stubla and Ashkenazi thanked the United States for its role in reaching this agreement.

In September, it was announced that relations between Kosovo and Israel would be normalized. The announcement was part of an agreement reached between then-US President Donald Trump and Serbia and Kosovo. In addition, the two countries will open embassies in the Israeli capital, Jerusalem.

However, the intention to open embassies in Jerusalem is against the EU’s sore foot. This could cause problems for Serbia and Kosovo over their relationship with the EU. Serbia is a candidate country and operates in accordance with EU law to become a member. Kosovo currently has the status of a potential candidate.

So Serbia seems to be cautiously deviating from its diplomatic commitment. According to the Serbian Foreign Minister, the final decision has not yet been discussed within the government and will depend on “many factors”. When the deal was announced at the White House at that time, Serbian President Alexander Vui appeared To be surprised Trump’s view that Serbia is moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Kosovo has its commitment. Minister Hardinaz-Stubla has made a formal request to open an embassy in Jerusalem, and Minister Ashkenazi has said that Israel has approved it. It will become Kosovo, the first Muslim-majority country to run an embassy in the Israeli capital.

During the virtual ceremony, Ashkenazi unveiled a sign hanging at the unopened Kosovo embassy. The Israeli Foreign Minister expects the opening to take place during the Passover at the end of March.