Tel-Chai Nation

This is very sad, that only a few months after they made the right decision to move their own embassy to Jerusalem, Paraguay's moving it back to Tel Aviv, and there's a clue here what motivates the current president:

Paraguay will move its embassy back to Tel Aviv, Foreign Minister Luis Alberto Castiglioni said on Wednesday, less than four months after it followed the United States lead and moved its embassy to Jerusalem.

Israel responded furiously, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructing Israel to close its embassy in Asuncion.

“Israel views with extreme gravity the unusual decision by Paraguay that will cast a cloud over relations between the countries,” read a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Explaining the decision to move the embassy back to Tel Aviv, Castiglioni said that Paraguay “wants to contribute to an intensification of regional diplomatic efforts to achieve a broad, fair and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Paraguay followed the US and Guatemala and moved its embassy in May, with then-president Horacio Cartes making the decision in the final months of his five-year tenure which ended in August.

He was not eligible for reelection in April, which was won by co-party member Mario Abdo, who said that he was not consulted regarding the embassy move. Abdo is the grandson of a Lebanese immigrant.

Wednesday’s developments were a stunning reversal in the direction that ties between the two countries were headed.

If my estimates are correct, this Abdo had the move performed because he's pro-Islam, based on his background, and does not respect Israel's history. This too makes the case all the more revolting.

What makes this all the more disgusting is that of course, this move delights all the usual suspects, like Turkey and the PLO:

Many international figures congratulated Paraguay's decision and praised the country for supporting the Palestinian cause.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maleki commended his counterpart in Paraguay and immediately announced a Palestinian embassy opening in Asuncion.

Turkey joined the Palestinian Authority and declared Thursday night that it too shall open an embassy in Paraguay as an expression of solidarity.

In his own country, Benitez wasn't met with unanimous support. On Thursday, demonstrations were held in front of the presidential residence protesting the decision to relocate the embassy.

US Vice President Mike Pence spoke with Paraguay's president, Mario Abdo Benitez, on Thursday hoping to convince him to reconsider.

I hope Pence can avail, but chances are he won't. This man sounds like very bad news, and now he's led to a serious political embarrassment and fallout.

Labels: anti-americanism, anti-semitism, dhimmitude, islam, Israel, Jerusalem, Latin America, Lebanon, Moonbattery, political corruption, United States, White House