Placement of the Embassy in Jerusalem, National Interest

International Law Professor Africa Hoti tells Kosovo that the establishment of Embassy in Jerusalem could affect the 58 member states of the Organisation of Islamic States not to recognise the state of Kosovo.

In the emotional sense, I believe that there will be negative effects, here is the Organisation of Islamic States, 58 members of this organisation will reconsider and continue the trend of refusing to recognise the Republic of Kosovo. While, from other acts that have recognised the Republic of Kosovo, I do not believe there will be negative effects, because the issue of foreign policy is a matter of internal discrimination of states. So no country asks the other country who it should maintain diplomatic relations with and who it does not, he says.

That states decide for themselves who they want to maintain diplomatic relations with, Hoti says Serbian politics testifies to it, which despite maintaining very good reports with Moscow is learning to be part of the European Union.

The “Argument that can be used in this direction is Serbian politics, which despite the goal of being part of the EU, now and how long it holds very close reports with official Moscow, namely a very powerful European Union opponent. On this basis, I do not expect any negative effect because Israel's recognition and the deployment of embassy in Jerusalem is not a matter of the Kosovo authorities' will, but more than wish is a typical national interest issue”, says Hoti.

For security affairs connoisseur Drizan Shala, the establishment of the Embassy in Jerusalem serves as a call for the 5 EU member states that have not recognised Kosovo to do so.

Kosovo on a historic note has had a strategic partner in the United States and the establishment of the embassy in Jerusalem is in line with US foreign policy, regardless of which president or faction leads the White House. As for the EU's reaction, we have seen that the EU is indifferent in terms of Kosovo's interests in relation to specific countries. So setting our embassy in Jerusalem is a direct and proper step and an indicator and clear also for the 5 EU member states that have not recognised Kosovo to take such a step because Kosovo and Serbia have their place in the EU”, he says.

Before Kosovo established diplomatic relations with Israel, the European Union, where Kosovo learns to be part of it, has opposed the opening of the Kosovo Embassy in Jerusalem.