Colombia opens embassy to Israel in Jerusalem in sharp policy reversal

Colombia inaugurated its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on 14-15 October 2026, becoming only the tenth country with a mission in the contested city and completing a sharp foreign-policy reversal under new President Abelardo de la Espriella. Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar unveiled the embassy sign alongside his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar, who affixed a mezuzah at the entrance in a ceremony attended by diplomats, lawmakers and religious figures. The move overturns the policy of former president Gustavo Petro, who severed ties with Israel in 2024 over the war on Gaza; de la Espriella, who took office in August, has also reinstated the free-trade agreement Petro had cancelled. Palestinian officials swiftly denounced the inauguration as a 'reward for occupation' and a blow to international consensus that East Jerusalem's final status must be settled through negotiations. The step aligns Bogotá with the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and others that have opened Jerusalem missions, and comes as Israel faces mounting criticism over continued strikes in Gaza a year into a fragile ceasefire.