Arias said the relocation to Tel Aviv should not, however, be interpreted as a slight to Israel Is it not?:

Let all those countries who are anti-Israel go to Venezuela.

hoping next step will be removing all embassies from Tel Aviv

Why did u mention the word "Arab" in your talkback?! You think that only Arabs have an issue with your racism and crimes agains humanity? NO. All nations have.. http://www.normanfinkelstein.com/article.php?pg=11&ar=241

brave president is elected. Cowardly, politically correct, pussy footing presidents will leave it in Tel Aviv to please the terrorist lovers in the US State Dept.

I remember Arias from his last round as Pres. of Costa Rica - I didn't think the people of that country where that stupid to put him back in. But since he was elected I'm not suprised he moved the embassy. He is a leftist that kissed up to the Sandanistas and to Castro (and probably will to Chavez this time around). What disgusts me more is that the US Embassy is not in Jerusalem. I end with a salute to El Salvador - it is good that at least one country in this world has their head screwed on straight.

The international Christian Embassy is the ONLY embassy now in Jerusalem and THEY wont move no matter what! Islam might hold 1/6 of the world, but those that truly follow the Bible know the final outcome. Am Israel Chai!

If you captured an important part of San Jose which has religious importance to you in a war would you return it. If a neighboring country tries to take your capital you would fight like hell to hold on to it. Why should Israel be different??? Shame on you.

How can you use reuters as a news source when that missle fraud was perpetrated by them just last week? Have you sunk to such a low level? Have you lost the sense of truth in the media? Do you feel that people are so stupid and lack any intelligence?

don't have their embassies in Jerusalem? Because they are AFRAID of the Arabs and the Muslims. That's it. Sometimes I feel the US "friendship" with Israel is not as deep as it's shown... Perhaps we should start a peition asking the US and the UK to move their Embassies to Jerusalem. I'm writing to my MP now. May Hashem listen to the suffering of Israel and lead them to victory over its enemies!

Call me stupid but can someone explain exactly why it is a slight on Israel. As far as I know Tel Aviv has a higher percentage of jewish residents than Jerusalem so why is moving to somewhere that has less arabs good for arab nations and a slight on Israel. This is not to mention the fact that in Tel Aviv the arabs and jews live side by side without the constant threatening feeling that prevails in Jerusalem. Jews can wander around in the Jaffo without feeling threatened which is not necessarily the case in East Jerusalem. If you ask me there is no slight on Israel here, I think the Costa Rican Abassador just got sick of living somewhere where everything is shut on shabbat and fancied coming to Tel Aviv for a bit of weekend night life!!!!!!!!

If Osama had wanted to do us a favor he would have had the U.S. State Dept. hit instead of the Pentagon; he didn't because he knows where his friends are. Every day the U.S. State Dept. proves Joe McCarthy was right - it IS a den of slime.

don't have their embassies in Jerusalem? Because they are AFRAID of the Arabs and the Muslims. That's it. Sometimes I feel the US "friendship" with Israel is not as deep as it's shown... Perhaps we should start a peition asking the US and the UK to move their Embassies to Jerusalem. I'm writing to my MP now. May Hashem listen to the suffering of Israel and lead them to victory over its enemies!

#1 Certainly knows what he's talking about, while you have shown how stupid you are. When the Arab boycott is discussed, it is NOT with regards to the Arab states' relations to Israel, because there are hardly such relations to begin with. Usually the "Arab boycott" means a boycott by Arab countries, upon OTHER countries who have relations with Israel, in order to pressure them into stopping or mitigating these relations. In this case, the other country is Costa Rica. As for the rest of your hateful post - you'd take any chance you get to spread your venomous Israel-hating filth? Living in Germany, you have some audacity to talk about "racism and crimes against humanity". Not only with regards to your horrendous, atrocious past, but also in the present - with the racism, xenophobia, anti-semitism, skinheads, and anti-immigrant crimes which are so widespread in your country these days. Please don't show up your ugly face in our news site again. I won't bug you in your German sites either. Just get out of here, moron.

yes even banana republic like CR finally has the guts to say no to israel mainly becasue israel has lost too much in her aggression against Lebanon and Palestine, so u better get used to this idea and accpet and expect more of such criticizm of the "democracy of the middle east", Thanku hezbollah for such prompt positive results of such victory. Israel get used to more of such criticizm , what goes up must come down u live by the sword u die by the sword. that's the way to do it, first it was Venz now Cost, and expect more of such banana republics and u better believe it after all Jerusalem is a desputed territory as per UNSEC resolutions and u better check that out, well done Costa Rica and go ahead other nations follow suit

For once have a backbone Break Diplomatic Relations with Costa Rica Also start forceing the embassys in TA to go to Jerusalem

There NEVER was an Arab country of Palestine. Jerusalem was NEVER the capital of any Arab or Muslim entity. At the time of Muhammad's death, there was not a single mosque in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in the Hebrew Bible, not once in the Koran. Muslims pray facing Mecca. It is Muslim practice to take over, desecrate and destroy the holy sites of other religions-Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, et al. Muslims build mosques on top of the holy sites of other religions to signify that their religion is superior to all others. Muslims did this on the Temple Mount. During the time Jordan controlled Jerusalem from 1948-1967, no foreign Arab leaders visited Jerusalem. Jordanian radio broadcast Friday prayers not from Al-Aqsa Mosque, but from a mosque in Amman. Jordan destroyed 58 synagogues in Jerusalem. Jordan's army desecrated the 2,500 year old Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives and used Jewish tombstones for pavement and latrines. All land, homes and buildings seized in the 1948 Islamic invasion of Judea, Samaria, Gaza and east Jerusalem must be returned to Jews immediately. 13th Century Arab biographer Yakut, noted: "Mecca is holy to Muslims; Jerusalem is holy to the Jews

Bible, Leviticus 24:17 "If a man takes the life of any human being, he shall surely be put to death" Black Africans are the indigenous people of Sudan and are the majority population. The black Southern Sudanese Christians explain what "peace" means: If you agree to become a Muslim, you will have peace. If you reject Islam, you are at war. From 1955-1973, 1.5 million Christians were slaughtered by the Arab Muslim government in Khartoum. From 1983-2005, two million more Christians died from Khartoum's jihad. Murdering infidels is not considered a crime. Non-Muslim infidels are regarded as not entitled to human rights. Hundreds of thousands of Christians have been raped. Hundreds of thousands of Christian children and women taken for slaves. In the refugee camps, the Islamo-Fascist religious supremacist Khartoum government requires refugees to become Muslims in order to receive food and water. The genocide has resulted in the largest population of refugees on earth since the Second World War. The jihad in Sudan against Darfur's black African Muslims by Khartoum's racist Arab Muslim regime began in 2003. 400,000 black Muslims are dead. STOP Genocide - STOP Slavery - FREE the Slaves http://www.iabolish.org/ Bible, Exodus 21:16 "He who kidnaps a man, whether he sells him or he is found in his possession, shall surely be put to death"

Israel's most famous king, king David founded Jerusalem. Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in the Hebrew Bible, not once in the Koran. Reigious Jews pray three times a day in the direction of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is mentioned constantly in prayers. Passover Seder ends with: "Next year in Jerusalem!" And at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. Jerusalem is mentioned in the blessings at the end of meals. During Jewish wedding ceremonies, the groom breaks a glass as a sign of mourning of the destruction of the two Temples, accompanied by Psalm 137: "If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget her skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem above my chief joy." During the First and Second Temple periods, the Temple was the central focus of Jewish life. The First Temple was built by King David's son, King Solomon. Bible, 2 Chronicles 2:4: "Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the L-RD my G-d, dedicating it to Him, to burn fragrant incense before Him and to set out the showbread continually...on sabbaths and on new moons and on the appointed feasts of the L-RD our G-d, this being required forever in Israel." The One great G-D of the Universe returned Jewish Holy Land and holy places to the Jews in the 1967 Six Day War. The response of Israeli leaders was shocking - in a dreadful betrayal of G-D, they gave control of Judaism's holiest site, the Temple Mount to IslamoFascist religious supremacists. Islamist control of Jewish land and the holiest site on earth brought death, destruction and war to Israel. Israel's leaders must give control of the Temple Mount to Jews immediately.

PA/PLO are the recipients of mega U.S. tax dollars. Americans are immorally forced to finance barbaric jihad against Jews and Americans. The planned genocide of Jews by PA/PLO/Hamas/Hizbullah et al, breaks international law and must be addressed by the International Criminal Court and human rights organizations. The U.S. EU, UN Road Map Islamic Terror State Two in Judea, Samaria and parts of Jerusalem will reduce Israel to an INDEFENSIBLE 6-10 miles wide at mid-section, thus enabling a second Holocaust of Jews. The Palestinian Authority teach through their mosques, media, summer camps, and public education system, that murdering Jews is a religious obligation. Human bomb killers of Jewish innocents are revered and considered heroes by PA society. Palestinian Authority society are taught murdering Jews is the highest goal in life and attains paradise: http://www.pmw.org.il/AFD.html The Palestinian Authority hailed as heroes the terrorists who brutally murdered defenseless 8 months pregnant Jewish Gaza mother, Tali Hatuel, and four little daughters in Gush Katif in May 2004. Thousands of Palestinian Authority Muslims celebrate in the streets and pass out sweets whenever Jewish innocents, including children, are murdered by human bomb killers. Effigies of burning buses are features of PA school pageants and summer camps. Streets and soccer teams are named after suicide bombers. Adults and children train in terrorist training camps. Terrorists have been captured at Israeli checkpoints posing as ambulance drivers, doctors and patients. Terrorists have hidden explosive suicide belts under gurneys carrying sick children and in the garments of pregnant women. Red Crescent ambulances transport terrorists, weapons and bombs. Broadcast from Gaza mosque, Oct 13 2000, Dr. Ahmad Abu Halabiya, on Palestinian Authority TV (transcribed by Memri): "Have no mercy on the Jews, no matter where they are, in any country. Fight them, wherever you are. Wherever you meet them, kill them. Wherever you are, kill those Jews and those Americans who are like them..."

arab yourself? Or is it so hard to understand?

Israel traded Jewish land in exchange for war - Gaza now has an Al Qaeda and Hizbullah presence. Iranian Revolutionary Guard units train Fatah and Hamas in the Jew-cleansed areas of Gaza - Islamists fire an incessant daily barrage of rockets on the defenseless Jews of Sderot and Ashkelon. Global jihad is greatly empowered as the U.S. EU and UN support a GLOBAL Islamic TERROR state in half of Israel that will threaten the world. There NEVER was an Arab country of Palestine. Jerusalem was NEVER the capital of any Arab or Muslim entity. Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times in the Hebrew Bible, not once in the Koran. Arabs FIRST took the name “Palestinians” in 1967. Arafat was the FIRST leader of this NEW PEOPLE. Before 1948, Jews were known as the Palestinians! The Jewish newspaper, the Jerusalem Post was called the Palestine Post. The Jewish-founded electric company was Palestine Electric. The Palestinian Symphony Orchestra was all Jewish. During World War II, the British army had a Palestinian Brigade made up entirely of Jewish volunteers. Leftists, racists, IslamoFascist religious supremacists, human rights destroyers want Jews barred from living in Judea and Samaria, the Biblical heartland including Hebron, the first Jewish city, and second in Jewish holiness, because JEWS are NOT MUSLIM! Respect is always given to Muslims! No one is trying to force Muslims out of Mecca and Medina! After the Jews miraculously transformed desert and swamps into rich, agricultural land (for which Jews are world famous!) Arabs came in large numbers from Arab countries for jobs from the Jews. The fact that the overwhelming majority of Arabs resided only briefly in Palestine is attested to by the special UN decree: that any Arab who had resided in Palestine FOR ONLY TWO YEARS BEFORE 1948, and then left, would be considered a refugee and so would his descendants!!! On March 31, 1977, Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview with PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein: “The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct “Palestinian people” to oppose Zionism. For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa, Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan.

Sovereign nations have the right to choose their capitals; Israel is no exception. Oscar Arias' decision to move the Costa Rican Embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv was taken because he believes this will buy him the goodwill of the Arab nations - and his local Arab population - without losing Jewish/Israeli goodwill and business. He believes this is in the best interests of his country. If we wish to show him that this is not the case, we must make our voices heard where they can make a difference. We must contact the Costa Rican Embassies in our countries and their mission to the United Nations by email, telephone, fax, letter - whichever way we can. The addresses of the embassies for Israel, the U.S., U.K., Canada and the U.N. are as follows: Israel Rehov Diskin 13, Apt. 1 Kiryat Wolfson, Jerusalem, 92473 Tel: (00 972) 2566 6197 Fax: (00 972) 2 563 2591 Email: emcri@netmedia.net.il Sra. Noemí Judith Baruch Goldberg, Ambassador Sr. Jairo Fco. López Bolaños, Cónsul General United States of América 2114-S Street, NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel:(001) 202 234 - 2945 / 234 - 2946 / 234-8653 Fax:(001) 202 265 – 4795 Email:embassy@costarica-embassy.org Sr. Francisco Tomás Dueña Leiva, Ambassador Sr. Rolando Madrigal Gutiérrez, Cónsul General United Kingdom Flat 1, 14 Lancaster Gate, London W2 3LH, Great Britain Tel: (00 44) 207 706 8844 Fax: (00 44) 207 706 8655 Email: costaricanembassy@btconnect.com Sra. Sylvia Elena Ugalde Fernández, Minister Advisor Sra. Lorena Villalobos Brenes, Second Secretary Canada 325 Dalhouise Street, Suite 407. Ottawa, ON, K1N 7G2 Canadá Tel: (001) 613-562-2855 Fax: (001) 613-562-2582 Email: arivera@costaricaembassy.com Sr. Carlos Miranda Arrinda, Ambassador Sra. Lina Ajoy Rojas, Cónsul General United Nations Mission of Costa Rica 211 East 43rd Street Room 903 New York, NY 10017 Teléphone: 1-212-986-6373/ 74 Fax: 1-212-986-6842 e-mail: costarica@un.int S.E Sr. Jorge Urbina Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative Extension 11 e-mail: costarica@un.int María Elena Chassoul Ambassador Deputy Permanent Representative Extension 11 e-mail: costarica@un.int Saul Weisleder Ambassador Extension 11 e-mail: costarica@un.int Those of you who can write credible letters to the editor in Spanish, may wish to do so on the web site of the major newspaper nacion.com. This move has also been getting a lot of coverage and response from their readers.

Costa Ricas historically has been a friend and a permanent supporter of Israel. We are a small country, but when we talk about peace, the world listens. As a small nation, we can not afford, and shouldnt, isolate from the arabic world, 1/6 of the world's population. No one does... not even the biggest israeli supporters. So please dont be hard on us and try to read between the lines when there is nothing there.