Colombia has formally asked to withdraw from the Hague Group, a diplomatic bloc. Foreign Minister Omar Bula made the announcement on Wednesday at the opening of his country's new embassy in Jerusalem. Colombia is now the 10th country with an embassy in Israel's capital.
Bula pointed to antisemitism in explaining the decision.
"We reject this approach. The government of President de la Espriella will not stay silent in the face of the wave of antisemitism. We will not allow it."
Ties are being restored on more than one front. On Tuesday, the two countries reinstated a free trade agreement that former President Gustavo Petro had terminated. Sa'ar and Bula were scheduled to hold bilateral talks on Wednesday. Colombia's Foreign Ministry said the meeting would cover political dialogue, security and defense cooperation, expanded trade and new investment opportunities.
Bula cut the ribbon at the new embassy with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar standing beside him. "Today, we are taking a concrete step towards restoring diplomatic relations between our countries, relations that should never have been broken," Bula said. "Israel is a strategic partner. It always has been, and from now on, it will be an even stronger one."
Sa'ar said the embassy carried more than political weight. "Opening an embassy in Jerusalem is not only recognition of the simple political fact that Jerusalem is Israel's capital. It is also recognition of a historical truth that no honest person can deny," he said.
Sa'ar credited Abelardo de la Espriella, who became Colombia's president in August. "In just two months, we have reversed most of the negative consequences of the Petro administration for Israel-Colombia relations and have even broken new ground," he said. He also thanked de la Espriella "for his determination to bring Israel-Colombia relations to an all-time high."
Petro broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in May 2024 over its actions in Gaza and heavily criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, The Jerusalem Post reported. He closed Colombia's embassy in Tel Aviv and recalled its ambassador. He also halted coal exports to Israel, The Algemeiner reported.
Bula arrived in Israel on Tuesday ahead of the ceremony. The trade deal was restored through an exchange of diplomatic notes that formally cancelled Petro's decision. The exchange followed understandings Sa'ar and Bula reached at a meeting in Washington on July 15. Israel's Foreign Ministry called the reinstatement "a further significant step to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties."
Most countries keep their embassies to Israel in Tel Aviv. Before Colombia, nine countries operated embassies in Jerusalem: the United States, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Somaliland.
