Colombia opens embassy in Jerusalem; Palestinian ministry calls it a violation
Jerusalem — Colombia is the tenth country with an embassy in the city, Reuters reported; Ramallah says the move breaches Security Council resolutions 476 and 478.
Colombia opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on Wednesday at a ceremony attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar, making it the tenth country with an embassy in the city, Reuters reported. Former president Gustavo Petro broke off relations with Israel in May 2024; his successor, Abelardo de la Espriella, restored them, and a free trade agreement was reinstated on Tuesday.
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the opening as a violation of international law and of Security Council resolutions 476 and 478, urged Bogotá to reverse it and called on states to take political, diplomatic, economic and legal steps against any country that opens or moves an embassy to Jerusalem.
Palestine’s envoy to the Arab League, Muhannad al-Aklouk, told Voice of Palestine radio that Arab states had decided to summon Colombia’s ambassadors and had asked members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to do the same.
Update · Source: WAFA (Palestinian Foreign Ministry); Reuters, 6 Nov, 13:18 · also 1, 2
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