Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday officially received ambassadors from Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Uruguay and Portugal at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem.
The envoys were greeted by the IDF Orchestra playing their respective national anthems, and they inspected an IDF honor guard in the Ceremonial Plaza before presenting their credentials to Herzog.
The Israeli president held an audience with each envoy, after which each signed the guest book. At the end of each ceremony, Israel’s national anthem, “Hatikvah” was played.
Guatemalan Ambassador Ava Atzum Arévalo de Moscoso, formerly the South American country’s foreign minister, noted that her country this year marks 75 years of diplomatic relations with Israel, and five years since moving its embassy to Jerusalem.
Guatemala is one of only four nations to have an embassy in Jerusalem, recognizing the city as Israel’s capital.
“Everyone in Guatemala loves Israel and it is an enormous privilege for me to represent my country here,” she said.
After officially welcoming her to Israel, Herzog acknowledged the two countries’ long history of diplomatic relations.
“You represent one of the countries historically closest to Israel, from day one,” he said.
