Colombia inaugurates embassy to Israel in Jerusalem
Palestinian officials slam move by Colombian government that marked major shift after ex-president had cut Israel ties.
Key points
- Colombia opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on Wednesday, becoming the 10th country to do so.
- The move reverses former President Gustavo Petro's 2024 decision to sever ties with Israel over the Gaza war.
- Palestinian and Jordanian officials condemned the opening as a violation of international law and resolutions.
Colombia inaugurated its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on Wednesday, becoming the 10th country to place its embassy in the contested city. Most countries keep their diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv.
The step was taken under new Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was sworn in in August. It marks a major shift from his left-wing predecessor Gustavo Petro, who severed ties with Israel in 2024 over the war on Gaza.
What Colombian officials said
Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs Omar Bula Escobar said relations between the two countries should never have been broken and that Bogota was taking a concrete step toward restoring diplomatic relations. He called Israel a strategic partner that would become even stronger.
De la Espriella has also restored a free trade agreement between Israel and Colombia that Petro had terminated. Colombian Ambassador Tania Gilinski said Israel had always been a strategic partner and would remain one with even greater determination.
Israel is a strategic partner. It always has been, and from now on, it will be an even stronger one.
— Omar Bula Escobar
Palestinian and Jordanian reaction
The Palestinian Authority condemned the embassy move, calling it a violation of international legitimacy resolutions that undermines the international consensus on the legal status of the holy city. Jordan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also criticized the move as a violation of international law and relevant international resolutions.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem and annexed it in 1967, a move not recognized by the vast majority of the international community. The city's status remains a core unresolved issue of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
