Following US lead, Guatemala moves embassy to Jerusalem

Guatemala on Wednesday celebrated the opening of its new embassy in Jerusalem, following suit after the U.S. move that sparked violent protests along the Israeli-Palestinian border. 

Two days after the United States moved its embassy to the holy city, Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales said at the opening of his country’s embassy that Guatemala was bringing a message of “love, peace and fraternity” to Israel, according to The Associated Press. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Guatemala for the move and recalled that the country was “among the first” to recognize Israel as a sovereign nation after its founding 70 years ago. 

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“We remember our friends and Guatemala is our friend, then and now,” he said.

In honor of the move, Jerusalem reportedly illuminated the Old City walls Tuesday night with Guatemalan flags and a message of thanks to Morales. 

At the U.S. opening ceremony on Monday, President Trump delivered recorded remarks calling for peace in the region.

The embassy’s opening was a fulfillment of one of Trump’s 2016 campaign promises, but it was met with large protests from Palestinians, who see East Jerusalem as the future capital of a Palestinian state. 

The protests continued into Tuesday.

More than 60 people have been killed during the demonstrations and Israel has come under fire for what human rights groups and others have called its excessive use of force against Palestinian protesters.

Israel has defended the use of live ammunition, saying its forces were merely protecting its border and defending themselves.