Israel Matzav

South Sudan to open embassy in Jerusalem

In earlier posts, I have reported on the prospect of a South Sudanese embassy being built in Jerusalem. The South Sudanese government has now officially approved that project.

South Sudan said it will establish an embassy in Jerusalem, the Holy city, rather than the political capital, Tel Aviv, following the recent visit of the South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir.

On Friday the visiting Israeli ambassador, Dan Shaham, met with the vice president of South Sudan, Riek Machar, and discussed issues pertaining to the bilateral cooperation between the two states.

The issues included the support the Israeli government will provide to the new state as well as the status of some 1,500 South Sudanese currently residing in Israel.

Shaham gave assurances that South Sudanese refugees in Israel will be trained in various skills so they can contribute to the young nation upon repatriation.

Machar stressed the importance of establishing a Hebrew language school in the South Sudan’s capital, Juba.

They also discussed the plans for a pilgrimage to the Holy Land by South Sudanese Christian leaders.

The Vice President and the Israeli diplomat also discussed the ongoing disarmament of civil populations in Jonglei state. They also touched on the situation in the Middle East, particularly with the current violent events in Syria.

Read the whole thing.

Labels: South Sudanese embassy in Jerusalem

Breaking: It's official: Southern Sudanese embassy to be built in Jerusalem

At the anti-Durban conference, Sudanese Human Rights Activist Simon Deng has just announced officially, in the name of the President of the newly declared Republic of South Sudan, Salva Kiir, that South Sudan will be building its embassy in Israel in the Holy City of Jerusalem, "and not in Tel Aviv."

More on this story here. I will also post the rest of my notes later.

Who will follow?

Labels: South Sudanese embassy in Jerusalem

Awesome: South Sudan to establish embassy in Jerusalem

Just a few days ago marked five years since El Salvador moved its embassy to Tel Aviv, leaving Israel's capital city without a single foreign embassy. Now, we're finally going to have an embassy in Jerusalem. South Sudan has decided to establish their embassy here (Hat Tip: Lisa Graas via Twitter).

South Sudan president [Salva Kiir] also agreed to [Likud MK Danny] Danon’s request that the future South Sudanese embassy in Israel be built in Jerusalem and also pledged to pay a visit to Israel at an unspecified date.

...

Kiir’s position contrasts sharply with South Sudan’s pledge a few weeks ago that it will support Palestinian statehood bid at the United Nations next month. The move is strongly opposed by Israel.

Maybe South Sudan will vote against 'Palestinian statehood' too. Heh.

And by the way, I'm not posting this based solely on a fellow blogger whom I don't know. The original story is here.

Labels: Salva Kiir, South Sudan, South Sudanese embassy in Jerusalem