Five years after the inauguration of the US embassy in Jerusalem, Russia will open an embassy branch in the center of the capital of Israel, as was agreed in a secret meeting between the countries according to a report from โIsrael Hayom.โ
The Jerusalem Municipality, headed by Moshe Leon, and the Russian Foreign Ministry recently reached a compromise agreement of historical significance. At its center, is an official Russian commitment to plan, build and operate a consular branch in the "HaMalot Parking" complex in the heart of Jerusalem. In return, the municipality will not expropriate the area in favor of the light rail route that is expected to pass there and will look for other transportation solutions.
Welcome news that Russia ๐ท๐บ will build an embassy branch in Jerusalem. Russia purchased the property in 1885, 138 years ago. It sits in west Jerusalem, which Russia officially recognizes as Israelโs ๐ฎ๐ฑ capital. https://t.co/T2gMlFEHOy
โ Avi Kaner ุงุจุฑุงููู ืืื (@AviKaner) June 16, 2023
On top of that, the municipality will allow the Russians to register as their own a 100-meter-long area for the road to the future diplomatic complex. Jerusalem will also remove all its claims and demands from the Russian Federation, which for many years avoided paying taxes and levies on it as required by law on Russian churches and complexes in the city. Also, the parking lot on HaMalot Street will continue to operate until the embassy branch complex is built.
The official Russian complex will provide consular services to residents of Jerusalem and the region. It will also have diplomatic residences, which will give the place a higher status than a consulate. According to the agreement, the construction of the place will be completed within five years, with the possibility of extending the period of time to a decade.
The agreement was signed this past Jerusalem Day in the mayor's office, Moshe Leon, which was supervised by Foreign Minister Eli Cohen. The Russians were represented at the signing ceremony by the ambassador to Israel, Anatoly Viktorov, and Sergey Makarov, who acted on behalf of the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov.
The agreement states that "the Russian Federation will build a complex of buildings which will serve as an extension of the consular wing of the Russian Embassy... The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sees this agreement positively... The Russian side has agreed to take the necessary steps for the rapid construction of the complex."
Welcome news that Russia ๐ท๐บ will build an embassy branch in Jerusalem. Russia purchased the property in 1885, 138 years ago. It sits in west Jerusalem, which Russia officially recognizes as Israelโs ๐ฎ๐ฑ capital. https://t.co/T2gMlFEHOy
โ Avi Kaner ุงุจุฑุงููู ืืื (@AviKaner) June 16, 2023
There are currently four official embassies operating in Jerusalem, on behalf of the US, Guatemala, Honduras, and Kosovo. Paraguay, Papua New Guinea and probably also Hungary are expected to open embassies in the capital in the future. Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia currently operate smaller diplomatic missions in the capital.
