At a time when Israel is facing mounting diplomatic pressure and international criticism, the scene in Jerusalem’s Safra Square looked strikingly different. Ambassadors and senior diplomats from dozens of countries gathered for a Sukkot reception hosted by Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and his wife, Stavit, creating an unusual pocket of diplomatic normality in the heart of the city.
The reception brought together representatives from the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, Japan, the Czech Republic, Argentina and many other countries. The contrast was difficult to ignore: outside the sukkah, Israel continues to face serious diplomatic disputes; inside it, representatives from East and West stood together in Jerusalem.
Which ambassadors attended the diplomatic reception in Jerusalem?
According to the Jerusalem Municipality, the gathering included ambassadors and senior diplomats from the Vatican, Australia, Austria, South Korea, Chile, Georgia, the Philippines, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Zambia and South Sudan. Deputy ambassadors from India and Greece also attended.
The guest list made the event particularly notable. It did not erase Israel’s broader diplomatic difficulties, but it offered a different picture: despite tensions with governments around the world, formal diplomatic ties with many countries remain active.
When will the new US Embassy complex in Jerusalem be built?
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee used the event to discuss plans for a permanent American embassy complex in Jerusalem.
“We recently completed the arrangement to acquire a property here in Jerusalem that will become the new embassy compound,” Huckabee said. “Soon we will lay the cornerstone and begin construction of the US Embassy, which will become our permanent home, instead of being scattered across the State of Israel.”
Huckabee stressed that he viewed the project as more than a construction initiative. “This is the commitment of the United States and of us, as Israel’s partner, to leave a permanent mark on this city, so that there will be no way that someone in the future can come and try to move us out of Jerusalem, the place where we belong.”
How many countries have embassies in Jerusalem?
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion used the gathering to call on additional countries to move their embassies to the Israeli capital.
“Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, that is a historical fact,” Lion noted. “Nine countries have already established their embassies here. We welcome them, and we hope that your countries will be next.”
Lion also linked the diplomatic reception to the symbolism of Sukkot. “This sukkah represents the Jerusalem we are proud of: open, welcoming and diverse,” he said. “Together, we pray to the Creator and ask Him for what Jerusalem, Israel and the entire world need more than anything: ‘Spread over us Your sukkah of peace.’”
For several hours, at least, the diplomatic tensions surrounding Israel appeared to remain outside the sukkah. The gathering in Safra Square did not necessarily reflect Israel’s overall international standing, but it created a rare diplomatic bubble in Jerusalem at a moment when that contrast was especially visible.
