Speaking at a press conference at State House Entebbe, Netanyahu who has been on a one day visit to Uganda, said Israel was returning to Africa in a big way and as such Uganda should lead the way in opening up an embassy in the contested city between Israel and Palestine
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has declined a public
request by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Uganda to open an Embassy
in the contested city of Jerusalem.
Speaking at a press conference at the State House
Entebbe on Monday, Netanyahu who has been on a one day visit to Uganda, said Israel was
returning to Africa in a big way and as such Uganda should lead the way in
opening up an Embassy in the contested city between Israel and Palestine.
In
return, Israel would too open up an Embassy in Kampala. The Israeli Nairobi Embassy
handles diplomatic affairs with Kampala.
//Cue In:…” I have a simple
Cue out…visit in Jerusalem.” //
However in responding to him, Museveni said the
issue was very controversial which needs time for it to be studied first.
//Cue in:…the issue of the embassy
Cue out … are studying that.”//
Last year, American President Donald Trump broke
away from the world order and recognized Jerusalem as the undivided capital of
Israel. Trump also ordered the transfer of the American Embassy from Tel Aviv
to Jerusalem stocking anger among the Palestine who see Israel as an invading
force.
Palestinians occupy east Jerusalem and they regard it as the capital of
their future state. Museveni thanked Netanyahu for being the first Israeli Prime Minister to ever
visit Uganda.
“He has done it a number of times, of course I have
been to Israel a lot but it’s good that he has come when other prime ministers
have not come. We have a very strong relationship with Israel in the field of
agriculture and security,” said Museveni.
For his part, Netanyahu thanked
Museveni for what he called a strong leadership and promised Israeli’s cooperation
in terms of security and other bilateral relations. He also revealed that they
had agreed that Uganda was to begin having direct flights to Israel at least
once a week.
Netanyahu is struggling for
his political survival after failing twice to gunner enough votes in the Knesset
for him to form a government. He was also recently indicted on charges of
corruption and abuse of office and if he’s unable to win the next general
election and therefore unable to force parliament to waiver the charges against
him, he faces a jail sentence if convicted on those charges.
