Colombia is inaugurating its embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday. JNS reported that it will be the tenth foreign embassy to open in Israel’s capital.
Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar arrived in Israel on Tuesday ahead of the ceremony.
Nine countries currently operate embassies in Jerusalem: the United States, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Somaliland.
On Tuesday, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the two countries had restored their free trade agreement. The ministry called the step “a further significant step to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties.”
According to the ministry, Jerusalem and Bogotá completed an exchange of diplomatic notes that formally cancels former president Gustavo Petro’s decision to end the trade pact. The exchange followed understandings that Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Bula reached at a meeting in Washington on July 15.
Sa’ar said the reversal came quickly. “In just two months, we have reversed most of the negative consequences of the Petro era and opened new doors in Israel-Colombia relations,” he said.
Sa’ar also thanked Colombia’s president. “I thank my friend, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, for his determination to bring Israel-Colombia relations to an all-time high. I am confident that together we will achieve exactly that,” he said..
