Colombia inaugurates embassy to Israel in Jerusalem

Palestinian officials condemn move by Colombia’s new government that marked a major shift after former President Petro had severed ties with Israel.Published On 14 Oct 202614 Oct 2026Colombia has opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem, joining a small group of countries in taking the controversial step of backing Israel’s claim to sovereignty in the contested city.Palestinian officials swiftly denounced the inauguration on Wednesday that came as Israel is facing mounting international pressure over the genocidal war on Gaza, where three years of attacks have killed more than 74,000 people.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Colombia extradites leader of armed group to US in shift towards Washingtonlist 2 of 3Will Brazil’s Lula halt the right-wing wave sweeping Latin America?list 3 of 3Protesters in Colombia rally against ties with Israelend of listThe move by the administration of new Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella is a major shift from his left-wing predecessor Gustavo Petro, who in 2024 severed ties with Israel over the war on Gaza.De la Espriella, who was sworn in in August, has also restored a free trade agreement between Israel and Colombia that Petr...