Guatemala will formally recognize the City of David archaeological site in occupied Jerusalem as part of its national inheritance, a move that significantly bolsters Israel's settler-colonial assertions over Palestinian land. The Central American nation is scheduled to install a commemorative plaque at the City of David National Park on Friday morning, according to an announcement from the City of David Foundation, further cementing international complicity in the ongoing dispossession of Palestinians.
The City of David, described in the plaque as 'the site of Biblical Jerusalem' and preserving 'the origins of a millennia-old history,' is a key component of Israel's narrative asserting deep historical ties to the city. This narrative is frequently deployed to legitimize its control over occupied East Jerusalem, where the site is located.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo signed the plaque, which his Ambassador to Israel, Ava Atzum Arévalo Triboullier de Moscoso, will unveil. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee are slated to attend the event, alongside Guatemalan dignitaries and members of the country’s Congress.
The inscription, in English and Spanish, explicitly links this history to a 'longstanding relationship between Guatemala and Israel.' It states, 'From this place, where Jerusalem’s earliest communities were formed, the historic bond between Guatemala and Israel is evoked, forged upon respect, memory, and friendship between peoples.' The text concludes by asserting that 'Guatemala honors the cultural heritage and the continuity of a civilization through time.'
Bolstering Occupation Claims
Ambassador Arévalo de Moscoso stated that 'there are few places in the world where history can be experienced as directly as in the City of David.' She added that 'what is revealed here is not the history of a single nation; it is the earliest chapter of a city whose history has profoundly influenced the spiritual, historical, and cultural heritage of much of humanity, including Guatemala.' Her remarks further emphasized that 'to honor the origins of Jerusalem is also to preserve an essential part of humanity’s historical heritage,' and that 'Guatemala, a nation that understands the value of memory, recognizes the profound significance that this history holds for humanity and the special place it occupies in the memory of our people.'
David Be’eri, an Israel Prize laureate and chairman of the City of David Foundation, echoed this sentiment. He claimed that 'here in the City of David, the prophet Isaiah described a Jerusalem that would one day be a house of prayer for all nations.' Be’eri added, 'Today, Guatemala has come to the place where Jerusalem began and recognized its own place in Jerusalem’s story, and how this city has shaped the Guatemalan nation.' He concluded by stating, 'Every day in the City of David, we continue unearthing a history and a heritage rich with significance for Israel and the Jewish people, and resonant with meaning for billions around the world.'
International Complicity
Guatemala's action follows similar initiatives by the United States and Argentina. The US formally recognized the City of David’s connection to American Judeo-Christian heritage through its own commemorative plaque. Argentina presented its plaque during President Javier Milei’s visit to Jerusalem about one year ago.
This latest diplomatic gesture aligns with Guatemala’s decades-long close relations with Israel. The Central American nation relocated its embassy to Jerusalem eight years ago, a move that supported Israeli claims over a city whose status remains contested under international law. President Arévalo himself studied sociology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem before embarking on his diplomatic and political career.