Colombia to Open Embassy in Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Announces

Colombian Embassy to Open in Jerusalem

Colombia will open a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem next week, according to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. The announcement follows the restoration of ties between the two countries in August, when President Abelardo De la Espriella pledged closer relations during his campaign.

Context of the Decision

Saar told attendees at a conference in Jerusalem that the embassy would open the following Wednesday. An official from the Colombian Foreign Ministry in Bogotá confirmed that Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar would travel to Jerusalem on Sunday ahead of the inauguration. The move places Colombia among a small group of states that have chosen to locate their embassies in Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv.

International Landscape

Since 2018, the United States, Guatemala, Paraguay, Kosovo, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Nauru and Somaliland have opened missions in the city. Most other countries keep their embassies in Tel Aviv because Jerusalem is not recognised by the international community as Israel’s capital.

Domestic Reaction

Protesters in Bogotá marched on Wednesday to oppose the new policy toward Israel, including the decision to open the Jerusalem embassy. Participants argued that the government had abandoned its earlier stance of distancing itself from Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Unverified Claims

Saar also mentioned that the Democratic Republic of the Congo would open an embassy in Jerusalem “very soon” and hinted at another opening, but no official confirmation has been released.