Democratic Republic of Congo moves embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has announced plans to move its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, following a recent visit by President Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi to the country. The decision marks the DRC as the latest nation to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and to initiate steps toward relocating its diplomatic mission there, as confirmed in a statement released by both countries on Thursday.

This move is part of a broader trend among nations shifting their embassies to Jerusalem, which gained momentum after the United States made the controversial move in 2018 during Donald Trump's presidency. Tshisekedi's decision to relocate the DRC's embassy aligns with his longstanding support for Israel, influenced by his Christian faith and a desire for closer ties with the U.S. amid ongoing tensions with Rwanda. The relationship between the DRC and Israel has strengthened in recent years, highlighted by Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Kinshasa in November.

The DRC's plans for its embassy date back to September 2023, when Tshisekedi met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The DRC had previously announced intentions to appoint an ambassador to Israel and establish an economic section at the embassy while maintaining its location in Tel Aviv. This latest announcement follows similar commitments from other countries, including Colombia, which recently shifted its embassy under the leadership of its new hard-right president.

Most countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv, adhering to the stance that Jerusalem's final status should be determined through negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Israel claims the entire city as its capital, while Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state. The United Nations Security Council has consistently rejected actions that alter Jerusalem's status and has called on countries to refrain from establishing diplomatic missions there, underscoring the ongoing complexity of the region's diplomatic landscape.