@i.a.n.network: International: Colombia opened an embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, marking a major shift in its relations with Israel after President Abelardo de la Espriella’s government restored diplomatic ties severed by his predecessor over the war in Gaza. Colombia’s Foreign Ministry described the opening as a “diplomatic milestone”, while Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar welcomed it as a celebration of relations between the two countries. Colombia and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1957 and developed close security ties, with Colombia using Israeli-made rifles and fighter-bombers. However, former Colombian President Gustavo Petro severed relations in 2024, accusing Israel of genocide over its military campaign in Gaza. Israel rejected the allegation and condemned the decision. Petro later announced plans to open an embassy in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, but the mission never opened. Restoring relations with Israel became a priority for de la Espriella’s administration after he took office with the backing of US President Donald Trump. Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula said the embassy demonstrated the government’s commitment to restoring dialogue, strengthening trust and pursuing cooperation that benefits citizens. Earlier in October, Colombia appointed Tania Gilinski Bacal as its ambassador to Israel, with a mandate to strengthen trade and cooperation in security, intelligence, cybersecurity and information sharing. The embassy’s location is politically significant. Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, and several other countries have since followed suit. Most countries, however, maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv, arguing that Jerusalem’s final status should be determined through negotiations. Israel claims the entire city as its capital, while Palestinians seek East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 war, as the capital of a future state. The status of Jerusalem remains one of the central disputes in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. #newstoday #trending #like #followus #fyp #iannews #iannetwork #worldnews #trinidadandtobago #caribbean #regional #international #instagram #tiktok ~C.S

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Thursday 15 October 2026 14:56:24 GMT