O.Próximo. – The President of Uganda confirms that he is “studying” the possibility of opening an embassy in Jerusalem

Madrid, February 3 (Europe Press) –

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said on Monday that Kampala is “studying” the possibility of opening an embassy in Jerusalem, as part of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the country.

“We are discussing the issue of the embassy,” he said in a joint press conference. He stressed that “there is a part of Jerusalem that is in Israel according to the partition plan.”

Museveni, who hinted that he might be located in East Jerusalem, although he did not specify that. “If a friend says he wants the embassy here instead of there, I don’t understand why there is …” he said, before cutting the sentence and confirming that the matter is “under consideration.”

Netanyahu had previously offered Museveni to exchange the embassy. He said, “I have a simple suggestion that I would like you to think about. Open an embassy in Jerusalem and open an embassy in Kampala.”

Thus, he highlighted his “friendship” with the Ugandan president, and confirmed that this was his fifth visit to Africa in just over three years. “Israel returns to Africa, and Africa returns to Israel,” he said.

On the other hand, he revealed that the two countries are also studying the possibility of direct flights between the two countries. He settled, “This will allow our friendship to flourish.”

Netanyahu also highlighted the personal importance of Uganda to him, as his brother Yonatan died at Entebbe airport in 1976 during a hostage rescue operation.

Museveni’s comments come amid controversy over the peace proposal for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict presented by US President Donald Trump last week, known as the “ Deal of the Century, ” with the support of Netanyahu.

The so-called “Deal of the Century” defines Jerusalem as the “indivisible” capital of Israel, which would retain control over the Jewish colonies and the Jordan Valley, while Palestine would be its capital in an area of ​​East Jerusalem located outside the security fence that Israel had built.

In response, the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, described the proposal as a “slap of the century” and stressed that it was destined to end “in the dustbin of history.”

For his part, Netanyahu stressed that the proposal was the “best agreement” that the Palestinians could achieve, and demanded acceptance of the “deal of the century.”