Netanyahus with Patricia Morales
Netanyahus with Patricia MoralesKobi Gideon (GPO)

Sara Netanyahu and Guatemalan First Lady Patricia Morales last night toured the Mount of the Beatitudes and the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes (Tabgha) at Kfar Nahum.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife today hosted the Guatemalan First Lady and her entourage for lunch at the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem. Also participating were Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely, Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman, Foreign Ministry Deputy Director General for Latin America Mody Efraim and Guatemalan Ambassador to Israel Mario Bucaro.

During the lunch, Prime Minister Netanyahu telephoned Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales and congratulated him on one year since the Guatemalan Embassy moved to Jerusalem. He also noted that he hopes that the two will meet again soon.

At the lunch, Netanyahu said: "We’re delighted to see you here in Jerusalem, in Israel on the first-year anniversary of the opening of your embassy. We remember Guatemala from the day that Israel was founded. To this day there’s a very strong friendship between us and I want to send first my fondest greetings from my wife and me to President Morales, to Jimmy, a good friend, a great friend of Israel. We value this friendship."

Sara Netanyahu said: "I am pleased that the wife of the President of Guatemala, Patricia Morales, has accepted our invitation to visit Israel following the diplomatic visit that I made to her country. I welcome her with warmth and love on behalf of all Israelis. Israel and Guatemala are allies and we attribute great importance to bilateral relations. We thank you for moving the embassy to Jerusalem."

Guatemalan First Lady Patricia Morales wrote in the guestbook: "It is a great honor to visit friends and brothers. May G-d bless our countries, Israel and Guatemala."

Prime Minister Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and Patricia Morales later attended the ceremony marking one year since the American Embassy moved to Jerusalem and the declaration the US Ambassador to Israel's official residence is moving to Jerusalem. Tomorrow they will attend a ceremony marking 100 years since the death of Aaron Aaaronsohn at the Aaronsohn farm in Atlit.

Guatemala
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