Colombia Opens Embassy in Jerusalem After Restoring Ties With Israel

Colombia has opened its embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, the tenth foreign mission stationed in the contested city.

• Colombia opened its embassy in Jerusalem, announced at a joint press conference by Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.
• Sa'ar said the mission becomes the tenth foreign embassy in Jerusalem and that Israel agreed with the Democratic Republic of Congo to open another there.
• The opening follows the resumption of diplomatic relations in August after Colombia severed ties in 2024 under President Gustavo Petro over Israel's war in Gaza.
• Conservative President Abelardo de Laspeheria, a Trump ally, initiated the embassy's relocation.
• Egypt's Foreign Ministry condemned Colombia's Jerusalem embassy opening as a flagrant violation of international law and UN resolutions.
• Colombia also restored its free trade agreement with Israel as part of the embassy relocation.
• The Arab League condemned Colombia's Jerusalem embassy opening as a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions and urged Bogotá to reverse the decision.
• It warned of grave repercussions and reiterated East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.
• The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said Colombia's embassy opening in Jerusalem was an assault on Palestinian rights.
• Saudi Arabia and Jordan joined Egypt in rejecting the move as a violation of international law and Jerusalem's legal status.
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation urged Colombia to reverse course, citing UN Security Council Resolution 478.
• Kuwait joined Egypt, the Arab League and others in condemning Colombia's Jerusalem embassy opening as a violation of international law and UN resolutions.