Kosovo’s Foreign Minister on Friday said a formal ceremony will be held next week to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, The Associated Press reports.
The Foreign Minister, Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla, said she and her Israeli counterpart Gabi Ashkenazi would hold a virtual ceremony on February 1.
“Recognition by Israel is one of the greatest achievements for Kosovo, coming at a key moment for us, thanks to the United States of America, our common and eternal ally,” she was quoted as having said.
This past September, it was announced that Serbia would be relocating its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by July 2021 and that Kosovo would recognize Israel.
These moves were included in an agreement on economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo which was signed at a meeting with then-US President Donald Trump in the White House.
The moves were criticized by the Palestinian Authority as well as by the Arab League.
Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi said at the time that "mutual recognition between Kosovo and Israel is a historic achievement."
