Colombia is set to open its embassy in Jerusalem next week, joining a small group of nations that have established diplomatic missions in the disputed city, according to Al Jazeera. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced the development during a conference in Jerusalem, stating that the Latin American country's mission would open on the coming Wednesday.
Al Jazeera reported, citing an official at the Colombian Foreign Ministry in Bogota, that Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar would travel to Jerusalem ahead of the inauguration. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar stated that the move reflects expanding relations between Israel and the region, while dismissing Palestinian claims to the city, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Background
According to Al Jazeera, Colombian President Abelardo De la Espriella had promised closer ties with Israel during his campaign and restored diplomatic ties after taking office in August. Previously, diplomatic ties had been severed over the conflict in Gaza. Most countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv because Jerusalem is not internationally recognized as Israel's capital.
Since 2018, a small list of countries—including the US, Guatemala, Paraguay, Kosovo, Honduras, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Nauru, and Somaliland—have opened embassies in Jerusalem, as detailed by Al Jazeera. Furthermore, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar indicated that the Democratic Republic of the Congo would open an embassy in Jerusalem very soon, and hinted at a potential similar move concerning Brazil following the first round of its presidential election, according to Al Jazeera.
Protesters recently took to the streets of Bogota to rally against the government's policy towards Israel and the decision to open the Jerusalem embassy, Al Jazeera reported.
Why it matters
For international observers and readers following global diplomacy, shifts in foreign embassies highlight the ongoing geopolitical disputes surrounding the status of Jerusalem. While the majority of the international community keeps diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv in accordance with international consensus, decisions by individual states to relocate embassies to Jerusalem continue to draw international attention and domestic opposition, as seen in recent protests in Bogota reported by Al Jazeera.