Paraguay to move Israeli embassy to Jerusalem by 'end of May'

Paraguay on Monday announced that it will move its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by the end of May, following the US and Guatemala.

"Paraguay President Horacio Cartes plans to come to Israel by the end of the month to open an embassy in Jerusalem," Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said in a statement.

A Paraguay government spokesman said Cartes was scheduling a trip to Israel to move the embassy on 21 May or 22 May.

The announcement comes one week before the US embassy opens in Jerusalem on 14 May in accordance with President Donald Trump's 6 December recognition of the city as Israel's capital.

Trump's decision in December to transfer the US embassy to the disputed city has drawn widespread condemnation, with critics saying it damages hopes for a negotiated Middle East peace.

In March, Guatemala's President Jimmy Morales said that his country would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on 16 May, two days after the US move.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in April that "at least half a dozen" countries were now "seriously discussing" following the US lead, but he did not identify them.

In a visit to Venezuela to meet his counterpart there Nicolas Maduro, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday that he hoped other nations would not follow Paraguay, Guatemala and the US.

"We hope that other countries on the American continent are not going to move their embassies to Jerusalem as this acts against international law," said Abbas.

Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordanian control in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in a move not recognised internationally.

In December, 128 countries voted in a non-binding UN General Assembly resolution calling on the US to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Nine voted against, 35 abstained and 21 did not cast a vote.

Paraguay's embassy is currently located near Tel Aviv.