Israel and Kosovo officially established diplomatic relations Feb. 1. With Israel under nationwide lockdown and Ben Gurion Airport closed, Kosovar Foreign Minister Meliza Haradinaj-Stublla could not come to Israel for the ceremony, meet with Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and inaugurate Kosovo’s embassy in Israel as was originally planned. Thus, the two ministers held a virtual ceremony on Zoom, which was also broadcast on the Foreign Ministry’s Facebook page.
Also present at the virtual ceremony were US Ambassador to Kosovo Philip Kosnett, US charge d’affaires in Israel Jonathan Shrier and US Deputy Assistant Secretary (State Department representative to the Balkan region) Matthew Palmer.