Colombia opened its embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, becoming the tenth country to take such a step. This action was taken under the leadership of the new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, who reversed his predecessor's decision that had led to the severing of diplomatic relations with Israel and also revived the free trade agreement between the two countries.
History of Colombia-Israel Relations
Most countries have maintained their embassies in Tel Aviv. Israel recognizes Jerusalem as its capital, while Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future independent state. The status of this city has become one of the controversial issues in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
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The former president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, severed diplomatic relations with Israel in May 2024 due to the country's actions in Gaza and seriously criticized Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel. Petro closed the Colombian embassy in Tel Aviv and recalled his ambassador, an action that Israel described as anti-Semitic and a reward to Hamas militants.
Revival of the Free Trade Agreement
Abelardo de la Espriella, who has been in power as Colombia's president since August, reinstated the free trade agreement that had been canceled by Petro on Tuesday. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stated in this regard: "In just two months, we have managed to reverse most of the negative consequences of Petro's presidency for Israel-Colombia relations and have even stepped onto new grounds. I thank Abelardo de la Espriella for his willingness to elevate Israel-Colombia relations to the highest level."
Additionally, Colombia's Foreign Minister, Omar Bula Escobar, was present at the embassy opening in Jerusalem. Since the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, several other countries have also moved their embassies to the city, including Guatemala, Honduras, Paraguay, and Somalia.
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