Turkey will open an embassy in the city of Asuncion in Paraguay, the South American country announced on Thursday, following current Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benitez’s reversal of the decision by the previous administration, led by President Horacio Cartes, in May to relocate its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, where it will return.
By opening the embassy, Turkey is condoning Paraguay’s latest stance on Israel, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Luis Castiglioni told reporters.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence called on Benitez on Wednesday to reconsider the decision to undo his predecessor’s move.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to the reversal on Wednesday by ordering Israel’s embassy in Paraguay to be closed.
“Israel views with utmost gravity the extraordinary decision by Paraguay, which will cloud bilateral relations,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.