Bogotá.- The future Government of Colombia will move the embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and will fully restore diplomatic relations with that country once the president-elect, Abelardo de la Espriella, takes office on August 7, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced this Wednesday, although the incoming Executive has not yet confirmed those agreements.
“Colombia will open its embassy in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will even provide all necessary assistance in this important step,” Sa’ar reported on X after a meeting in Washington with the designated Colombian Foreign Minister, Omar Bula Escobar, who has not commented.
According to the head of Israeli diplomacy, both countries will “immediately” appoint their respective ambassadors, who were recalled in June 2024, and have also agreed to reciprocally eliminate the visa requirement for their citizens.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro severed diplomatic relations with Israel on May 1 of that year in rejection of the Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip following the attacks perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
We recommend reading:The risk of Yemen being trapped in the regional war grows following the escalation between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia
“Colombia was one of Israel’s great friends, and that friendship will be again, stronger than ever,” wrote Sa’ar, who stated that both governments will work to strengthen the bilateral alliance.
The upcoming trip to the United States
The meeting took place during the visit that the vice president-elect, José Manuel Restrepo, Bula, and other designated ministers are making this week to Washington to present the priorities of the next De la Espriella Government and strengthen relations with the United States and other allies.
Bula assured on Tuesday that the new Administration intends to rebuild the relationship that Colombia maintained with “the United States and Israel, as well as with like-minded countries.”
Earlier this month, De la Espriella spoke by phone with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, with whom he agreed to move forward on re-establishing diplomatic relations.
During the presidential campaign, De la Espriella had already anticipated that, if he came to power, he would restore those ties and even move the Colombian embassy to Jerusalem, following the decision adopted by U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term.
