Israel & Kosovo Establish Diplomatic Relations in World’s First Virtual Ceremony

By: Aryeh Savir

Israel and Kosovo established full diplomatic relations on Monday in a virtual ceremony held simultaneously in Jerusalem and Pristina, the world’s first such ceremony held through Zoom, due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Kosovo’s Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj signed the diplomatic documents.

In addition to the document establishing the ties, the two foreign ministers signed memoranda of understanding for policy consultations and a cooperation agreement in the areas of Israel’s international aid program.

During the ceremony, the plaque which will be placed at the entrance to Kosovo’s new embassy in Jerusalem was revealed.

Kosovo will be the first Muslim majority country to open an embassy in Jerusalem.

Israel became the 117th country that recognized Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state.

“Today, Kosovo officially joins the circle of countries that aspire to peace and stability and recognize Israel, and Jerusalem as its capital,” Ashkenazi announced

“This agreement is an important and exciting step in the diplomatic relationship between us and Kosovo,” he stated.

In the conversation between the two top diplomats, Haradinaj emphasized Kosovo’s commitment to recognizing Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and shared with the country’s program to promote the memory of the Holocaust, care for the Jewish cemeteries, and the opening of a Jewish cultural center in the coming year.

Ashkenazi thanked the US for “its efforts to promote world peace, and to promote Israel’s relations with countries with which we have not had diplomatic relations until recently.”

The US was represented virtually by Matthew Palmer, the State Department representative to the Balkan region.

Saying that “Israel wants to see a stable Balkans,” he offered the country’s help in “the effort to build trust-building means together with Kosovo and Serbia under the auspices of the US.”

Israel’s establishment of ties with Kosovo was part of a normalization agreement between Serbia and Kosovo brokered by US President Donald Trump and signed at the White House in September.

                (TPS)