Indonesia condemns Guatemala for Israeli embassy move

Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday condemned a decision by Guatemala to relocate its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

“Indonesia denounces the decision [of] Guatemala, which is planning to move its embassy in Israel [from Tel Aviv] to Jerusalem, which is not in accordance with international law,” the ministry said on its Twitter account.

Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales announced Sunday that the country would "return" its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, where it had been located until 1980, following a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The move backs U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision on Dec. 6 to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocate Washington’s embassy from Tel Aviv to the contested city.

Emphasizing a two-state solution to the conflict, the ministry said: “Maintaining the international agreement related to the status quo of Jerusalem is important for the achievement of a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”

The UN's 193-member General Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution on Jerusalem by an overwhelming majority, calling on the U.S. to withdraw its recognition of the city as Israel's capital.

A total of 128 members voted in favor of the resolution, while nine countries -- including Guatemala -- voted against it and 35 others abstained. Twenty-one countries did not cast a vote.