US President Donald Trump on Friday oversaw the signing of an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo that normalizes economic relations between the two countries and also includes Kosovo recognizing Israel and Serbia relocating its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
The relocation of Serbia’s embassy to Jerusalem is expected to take place by July 2021.
“Truly, it is historic,” Trump said during the signing of the Belgrade-Pristina deal. “I look forward to going to both countries in the not too distant future.”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke with Trump and Kosovo's Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti as Hoti was meeting with Trump. The Kosovo Prime Minister, for his part, said that Kosovo, too, will open an embassy in Jerusalem.
"Kosovo will be the first Muslim-majority country to open an embassy in the city," Netanyahu said. "As I have said in recent days - the circle of peace and recognition of Israel is expanding and more countries are expected to join it."
Netanyahu also congratulated Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on his decision to relocate his country’s embassy to Jerusalem.
“I thank my friend President Vucic of Serbia for his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move their embassy,” Netanyahu said. “I also want to thank my friend Donald Trump for his contribution to this achievement.”
A statement from Netanyahu’s office praised Serbia for being the first European nation to agree to move its embassy and said efforts continued to convince other European nations to do so as well.
Netanyahu said that following discussions held in recent days between the Foreign Ministry, National Security Council and others, it was decided that Israel will establish diplomatic relations with Kosovo.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)