Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely met Sunday with Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Joval, who is currently in Israel to take part in the opening of the Guatemalan embassy in Jerusalem this week and ahead of a visit by Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.
Deputy Minister Hotovely congratulated the minister on her country's flag being one of the first to wave in Jerusalem ahead of the opening of the embassy in Israel's capital on Wednesday.
Guatemala views the transfer of the embassy as a correction of a historic injustice and as paving the way for the opening of additional embassies to the capital of Israel.
Hotovely thanked Joval for her contribution to the decision and for Guatemala's support for Israel in international forums.
During the meeting, the two representatives discussed the desire to deepen cooperation in various fields, including agriculture, water, civil security and the expansion of economic activity between the two countries.
At the end of the meeting, Deputy Minister Hotovely and Minister Jovel held a toast to Jerusalem Day and noted the uniqueness of the meeting on such an important day. Deputy Minister Hotovely said: "History will remember Guatemala as a courageous pioneer in the important process of moving the embassy."
The friendship between Israel and Guatemala dates back to before the founding of the State of Israel in 1948.