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Colombia Opens Embassy in Jerusalem After Restoring Ties With Israel
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News18•14-10-2026, 23:45
Colombia Opens Embassy in Jerusalem After Restoring Ties With Israel
- •Colombia inaugurated its embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, marking a significant shift in foreign policy under conservative President Abelardo de la Espriella.
- •The move restores diplomatic relations that were previously severed in 2024 by former President Gustavo Petro over the war in Gaza.
- •Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula hailed the embassy as a step to rebuild dialogue, mutual trust, and bilateral cooperation.
- •Tania Gilinski Bacal was appointed as Colombia's ambassador to Israel in early October to enhance trade and security ties.
- •Jerusalem's status remains a core disputed issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with most countries maintaining their embassies in Tel Aviv.
Key Questions Answered
Colombia opened its embassy in Jerusalem to mark a major shift in relations after conservative President Abelardo de la Espriella restored diplomatic ties with Israel, which had been severed in 2024 by his predecessor over the war in Gaza.
Then-President Gustavo Petro severed ties with Israel in 2024, accusing it of genocide over its military operations in the Gaza Strip.
In early October, Colombia appointed Tania Gilinski Bacal as its ambassador to Israel to strengthen trade ties, security, intelligence, cybersecurity, and information sharing.
