A view of Jerusalem. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – The Republic of Nauru has formally recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz applauded the move by the Pacific Island nation.

“I commend @Republic_Nauru’s important decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. We will continue to strengthen Jerusalem and to bring about the recognition and opening of diplomatic missions and embassies in our capital,” he tweeted on Wednesday.

I commend @Republic_Nauru’s important decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel ??. We will continue to strengthen Jerusalem and to bring about the recognition and opening of diplomatic missions and embassies in our capital

— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) August 29, 2019

In a letter dated Aug. 16 to the Israeli mission, Nauru’s mission to the United Nations stated that it “has the honor to convey the decision of the Government of the Republic of Nauru to formally recognize the City of Jerusalem as the Capital City of the State of Israel.”

The development comes as President of Honduras Juan Orlando Hernández is set to visit Jerusalem on Sunday in part to inaugurate a “diplomatic office,” the Honduran government announced on Tuesday.

“For me, it’s the recognition that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,” said Hernández on Tuesday.

Chairman Arthur Stark and Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman and CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, put forth a statement that said, “Since 1949, the seat of Israel’s government has been in Jerusalem, and for nearly 3,500 years, it has been the capital of the Jewish people. It is our hope that more countries will follow the courageous actions of Honduras and Nauru in recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish state.”

US President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017 and moved the embassy there five months later. Since then, a few countries have followed, and others have alluded to taking steps in this direction, but have stopped short of moving their embassies.

Guatemala moved its embassy to Jerusalem in May 2018, shortly after the American move from Tel Aviv. Paraguay had also announced a move, though it then reversed its decision, affecting relations with Israel for the time being.