It has been slow and steady and today, the PA (Palestinian Authority) boasts more diplomatic missions around the world than Israel. According to a Ynet report, the PA has 103 as compared to Israel’s 102. So, while the PA may not be a member nation of the UN as it wishes, one should not be fooled into believing there is no progress on the diplomatic scene.

Israel over the past year closed facilities in El Salvador, the Caribbean Islands, Marseille and Philadelphia, so today, Israel has 98 embassies and consulates.

For comparison sake, Iran has 142 missions, turkey 223, Morocco 135, Pakistan 118, Egypt 166 and Saudi Arabia 108. In fact, the Arab League and Iran have a combined 1,941 missions.

Israel Foreign Ministry Workers Union Chairman Hanan Goder is quoted saying that the more missions a country has, the “brighter the display window”, citing the need for Israel to get a presence in more places around the world.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)