Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Monday that he hoped Ecuador’s new Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Jerusalem would in time lead to the transfer of the Ecuadoran embassy to Israel’s capital.
Speaking at the opening of the new center, Sa’ar noted that Guatemala, Paraguay and Honduras had already moved their embassies to Jerusalem, and that Argentinian President Javier Milei had announced he would do so in the spring of 2026. The opening of Ecuador’s innovation center was “another milestone” in the right direction, he added.
“It brings us closer to the day—this is my belief and hope—when Ecuador hopefully will move its embassy to Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people,” he said.
Ecuador had opened an embassy in Jerusalem in the 1950s, but transferred it to Tel Aviv in 1980.
Sa’ar praised Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa for nurturing positive ties with Israel, saying that the South American country, under his leadership, “is among Israel’s greatest friends in Latin America and the world.”
“Over the past two years, Ecuador’s support has been especially clear. Ecuador stood by Israel during some of our most challenging moments,” said Sa’ar, noting it supported Israel’s right to self-defense and designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organizations.
Sa’ar emphasized that strengthening relations with Quito is one of his strategic priorities, and the new center will deepen economic cooperation and people-to-people ties between Israel and Ecuador.
Sa’ar said he planned to visit Ecuador on an official visit in 2026, underscoring Israel’s broad commitment to expanding its partnerships across Latin America, with Ecuador playing a central part.
Noboa announced his intention to open an innovation center on the campus of Hebrew University during a meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem on May 4.
Noboa was in Israel to celebrate the countries’ 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
