The Republic of El Salvador and the State of Palestine enjoy friendly relations, the importance of which centers on the history of Palestinian migration to El Salvador. There are approximately 60,000–100,000 people of Palestinian origin in El Salvador.[1]
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History
editBetween 1892 and 1918, over 90 Palestinians, primarily from Bethlehem, arrived to El Salvador and settled in the country. Many were escaping conscription into the Ottoman Army and World War I.[1] Over time, more Palestinians would arrive to El Salvador and work in various industries in the country. In 1933, the Salvadoran government passed a law barring further immigration from Middle Eastern countries to El Salvador.[2] In 1947, El Salvador abstained from voting in the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine.
In May 2009, President Antonio Saca, a Salvadoran of Palestinian descent, paid a visit to the city of Bethlehem in Palestine. While there, President Saca stated that: Palestine must exist, but Israel must also have secure borders, that is the position that the country will continue to maintain with respect to the Palestinian people and the Jewish people.[3] While in Bethlehem, President Saca met with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. During their meeting, both leaders discussed relations between both nations and Prime Minister Fayyad thanked President Saca for his country's decision of moving the Salvadoran embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv in 2006.[3] During his time in Bethlehem, President Saca met with the Salvadoran community residing in Palestine.
In October 2011, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas paid an official visit to El Salvador.[4] While in El Salvador, President Abbas met with Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes. During their meeting's, President Funes stated: "We want to strengthen our relationship with Palestine ... and contribute to the reestablishment of talks between Palestine and Israel"[4] President Funes officially recognized Palestine as an independent country.[4] In May 2013, El Salvador and Palestine established diplomatic relations with the visit of Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki to El Salvador.[5] In October 2018, Palestine opened a resident embassy in San Salvador and appointed an ambassador to El Salvador.[6]
In 2019, Nayib Bukele, of Palestinian origin, was elected as President of El Salvador.[7]
Diplomatic missions
edit- El Salvador is accredited to Palestine from its embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel and maintains an honorary consulate in Bethlehem.[8]
- Palestine has an embassy in San Salvador.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b El Salvador race coming down to two Palestinians
- ^ "La travesía árabe-palestina que llegó a El Salvador (in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
- ^ a b Saca dice que "Palestina debe existir e Israel debe tener fronteras seguras" (in Spanish)
- ^ a b c "Abbas stumps for Palestinian statehood in El Salvador". CNN. 2011-10-10. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30.
- ^ El Salvador establece relaciones diplomáticas con Palestina (in Spanish)
- ^ El Estado Palestino abre su embajada en El Salvador (in Spanish)
- ^ "El Salvador elects a new president of Palestinian descent".
- ^ "Honorary consulate of El Salvador in Bethlehem, Palestine (in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 2019-02-07. Retrieved 2019-06-06.
