Ramallah - Kifah Ziboun

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said more countries will relocate their embassies to Jerusalem, noting that the US embassy would be open within weeks.

“Relations with the US have resulted in an unprecedented diplomatic achievement, which comes in the form of an official recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel,” he said on Tuesday in a speech during a ceremony held by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to honor diplomats.

“We will meet in this particular place after several weeks to host visitors on the occasion of the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem; not to mention the announcement of other countries to transfer their embassies to our capital,” he added.

Netanyahu went on to say: “We have won political sovereignty with the support of the international community; we have been recognized by most of the world, and we have successfully confronted those who sought to isolate us. Today, we are making Israel a rising world power.”

The prime minister’s remarks came as Israelis prepare to celebrate “independence day”, which also marks the Palestinian Nakba.

Last week, the parliament of Honduras approved the transfer of its embassy from Tel Aviv to the occupied city of Jerusalem and referred the plan to the government.

The parliament’s decision came at a time when Palestinians are calling on the US to go back on its decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Israel hosted 40 ambassadors to the United Nations on the eve of its celebrations, which begin on Thursday.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry described the hosting of UN ambassadors as a major misinformation campaign.

“The Occupation state continues to carry out misleading campaigns and falsify the facts among international public opinion and officials, in order to conceal its grave violations of international law and its crimes against our people, land, property and sanctities,” the ministry said in a statement.