Czech Republic recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it...
...In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem...
... In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. Zechariah 12:2-3, 6, 8-9

As far as this blogger is concerned, the most interesting aspect of this item is the way it's been completely ignored by the mainstream media in North America. Could it possibly be that the media are biased against U.S. President Donald Trump and want to paint him as a lone wolf or loose cannon? The Czech Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the following statement, December 7, 2017:

The Czech Republic currently, before the peace between Israel and Palestine is signed, recognizes Jerusalem to be in practice the capital of Israel in the borders of the demarcation line from 1967.

The Czech Republic together with other EU member states, following the EU Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions, considers Jerusalem to be future capital of both states, meaning the State of Israel and the future State of Palestine. 　

The Ministry can start considering moving of the Czech embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem only based on results of negotiations with key partners in the region and in the world.

It was initially reported that the Czech Republic wished to move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem. According to Noa Landau of Haaretz, December 8, 2017 (links in original):

The Czech Republic said Thursday evening that it supported U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement on Wednesday that his country unilaterally recognizes Jerusalem to be the Israeli capital.

President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman stated that now that the American president "proceeded in accordance with his election promise," he is "truly happy."

Zeman added that as he proclaimed during his visit to the Jewish state four years earlier, he "would appreciate the transfer of the Czech Embassy to Jerusalem, and had it happened, we would have been the first to do so."

He also noted that the republic would be happy to follow suit after the U.S. moves its embassy. "Now we may sooner or later follow the United States. In any case, it is still better than nothing."

Zeman expressed firm support of Israel, going on to add that "every country has the right to decide upon the location of its Embassy- as a rule in that very capital, of course."

In his statement, Zeman notably refrained from committing to a specific time frame within which the Czech Republic would relocate its embassy, much like Trump has done.

The Czech Republic's Foreign Ministry announced Tuesday that it recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and that its embassy would move only according to how negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians proceed.

Last May, the Czech parliament voted to recognize Jerusalem, along the 1967 borders, as the capital of Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu noted on Thursday that other countries are considering following in America's footsteps. So far, however, only the Philippines expressed a will to move its embassy in the near future. Israel's foreign ministry is operating to encourage other countries to move their embassies too, focusing on allies in Latin America, Asia and Africa.

The Czech Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, expressed less enthusiasm than President Zeman for moving the embassy. As reported by Ms. Landau, December 9, 2017:

According to EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, the Czech foreign minister promised her that his country will continue to support the EU's position that Jerusalem will be the capital of Israel and Palestine in the framework of a future two-state solution.

On Thursday, President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement Wednesday that the U.S. unilaterally recognizes Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

Zeman stated that now that Trump "proceeded in accordance with his election promise," he is "truly happy."

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, however, Mogherini said she had spoken to Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Lubomír Zaorálek, who pledged that his country has no intention of moving its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, despite Zeman's statement. 

"I spoke to the Czech foreign minister myself and he pledged to me that the Czech Republic has remained with the EU position that Jerusalem is the future capital of the state of Palestine, meaning two states with Jerusalem as the capital of both," Mogherini told reporters.

"It is clear that their position is different from that of the American administration. There is no decision on their part to transfer the embassy," she added...

September 18, 2018 update: As reported by Tazpit Press Service, September 16, 2018:

Top leaders of the Czech Republic strongly voiced their support for moving the country’s embassy to Jerusalem, it was announced during a meeting at Prague Castle on Wednesday.

During a foreign policy meeting between the Czech Republic President Milos Zeman, the Parliament Speaker, the Prime Minister, as well as the Foreign Affairs Minister and the Defence Minister.

Zeman is expected to visit Israel in November and the focus of the visit was also discussed.

“The highest constitutional officials discussed the preparation of the strategic dialogue with Israel, including common projects and goals, and agreed on the benefits of regular intergovernmental consultations with Israel for development of mutual bilateral relations,” the president’s office said in a statement on Wednesday night.

“The officials were also informed about the content, focus and objectives of the official visit of the President of the Czech Republic to Israel in November, including the state of preparations for the opening of the Czech House in Jerusalem.”

This, the president’s office added, “is to be the first step with the intention to relocate the Embassy of The Czech Republic to Jerusalem, in accordance with international law.”

The Czech House will be opened by Zeman in a special ceremony during his visit.

It is part of a three-stage plan that was announced by the Czech president in April, just prior to the US Embassy opening.

At the time Zeman said that the third state would end with the Czech Embassy moving and opening in Jerusalem, however, no time frame was given on how long the plan would take.

With the Czech Republic being a member of the EU, following Zeman’s April announcement, Prime Minister Andrej Babis was reportedly less keen on such a move as it would mean defying a consensus decided upon by the European Union on Jerusalem’s status.

However, Babis’s name was on the joint statement released on Wednesday.