Kosovo, Israel to formally establish diplomatic relations today

English

Gazeta Express

01/02/2021 9:41

Kosovo and Israel will formally establish diplomatic relations today in a virtual ceremony attended by Kosovo’s foreign minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla and Israeli Foreign Minister Gaby Ashkenazi.

In a video posted on social media last week Kosovo FM Haradinaj-Stublla called Israel’s recognition of Kosovo one of the country’s greatest achievements and thanked the US for facilitating it. She cited the “long friendship between our peoples,” and said that Israelis and Kosovars have a similar ethos, in that “despite the challenges we faced and that affected our existence we remained invincible as peoples and never gave up nor did we lose hope.” She also mentioned Israeli’s support to Kosovo’s cause of Independence and for sheltering refugees during Kosovo war in 1999.

The decision on mutual recognition between Kosovo and Israel was achieved in September 2020 when Kosovo and Serbia signed agreements to normalize economic relations. Those agreements also included normalization between Israel and Kosovo and for Kosovo to open its embassy in Jerusalem. /GazetaExpress/