Prime
Israel asks Uganda to open embassy in Jerusalem
Captions: Prime minister Ruhakana Rugunda and Israel Deputy Ambassador to Kenya Mr David Eyal. PHOTO BY GODREY LUGAJJU
What you need to know:
- Mr Eyal said they have increased the number of students they have been sponsoring from Uganda to train in agriculture in Israel from 200 to 240 this year.
KAMPALA. The Israelis on Thursday appealed to government of Uganda to open an embassy in their country to ease trade and promote tourism.
Speaking at a prayer breakfast in Kampala, the Israel Deputy Ambassador to Kenya Mr David Eyal asked Christians to pray for them as they battle with their ‘enemies’. He said they have been supporting Uganda in areas of education, agriculture and security and hoped their meeting yesterday would boost future collaboration.
“It is not easy to be there in the Middle East surrounded by enemies. They want to destroy us. With all the enemies that want to destroy us, we are stronger with you and we appreciate it. Our hope is not lost. I invite you all to come to Jerusalem in the holy land to walk in the path of Jesus. We have a strong army,” Mr Eyal said.
The First Lady, Ms Janet Museveni then invited the guests at the prayer breakfast at Hotel Africana to stand with her and prayed against violence and fear in Israel and restoration of peace.
“We pray for your Holy Spirit to convict us all about sin, righteousness and the judgment to come so that we will work for truth and forgiveness in the Lord Jesus, and always strive to find peace through your son Jesus Christ. We ask that the destructive plans of the enemy be brought to nothing, and that your perfect plan may quickly come to pass. We pray for the Jewish and Arab believers in Jerusalem to come together and truly love one another,” Ms Museveni who doubles as education minister prayed.
Mr Robert Llatore, co-chair Jerusalem prayer breakfast said their intercessions had started yielding fruits after United States of America President Donald Trump recognised that Jerusalem was Israel’s city at their 70th independence anniversary.
“I want to declare this morning that if Uganda will take a step and open an embassy in Jerusalem not one man will get to say we don’t have a budget to open an embassy in Uganda. Pray for peace of Jerusalem the opening of embassy in Jerusalem is important to us in Israel and for Uganda if it dawns on us that the embassy is opened, may the blessings follow you, the opening of the embassy will lead to good cooperation in economic, security, technological and spiritual fields,” Mr Llatore said.
In a separate interview yesterday, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Okello Oryem, said they consider Israel as a close ally and that they worked closely in agriculture and security and that there have been assurances to put the embassy in Israel.
“We have already given assurance to Israel when Prime Minister Netanyahu was here that government would open an embassy in Israel. It is among our priorities although I don’t know when this will materialise,” Mr Oryem said on phone.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Uganda in 2016.
Mr Eyal said they have increased the number of students they have been sponsoring from Uganda to train in agriculture in Israel from 200 to 240 this year.
