Sara Netanyahu in Guatemala on rare solo diplomatic trip

Sara Netanyahu arrived in Guatemala on Monday on a rare diplomatic journey to take part in a cornerstone laying ceremony for victims of the Fuego volcano that erupted in June at a nearby village named “Jerusalem.”

Netanyahu was invited by Patricia Morales, the wife of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.

“I am excited about going to Guatemala and hope to represent Israel with honor,” she said before leaving Sunday evening. She is leading a Foreign Ministry delegation that also includes Modi Ephraim, the ministry’s deputy director-general for Central and South America.

Morales’s wife wrote in her invitation to Netanyahu that her visit would be “historic,” symbolizing the friendship between the two countries and a strengthening of their mutual commitment.

During the seven-day visit, Netanyahu will talk part in events related to aiding the victims of the volcano, and the need for pure drinking water. Netanyahu is expected to announce additional Israeli aid in the field of pediatrics.

The volcano killed some 100 people and injured scores more. Israel immediately sent money after the eruption to purchase assistance, and dispatched a medical team to deal with the injured.

Ties between Israel and the Central American country have improved significantly since Morales was elected in 2015. In May, Guatemala moved its embassy to Jerusalem, just days after the US moved its embassy to the capital.

Sara Netanyahu’s visit, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement, is another “block in strengthening the special ties between the countries, and has a great deal of diplomatic importance.”

One of the events planned for Netanyahu is a breakfast with members of the small Jewish community, which is believed to have less than 1,000 members.