Jerusalem, MINA – Colombia has opened an embassy in West Jerusalem, becoming the 10th country to establish a diplomatic mission in the city, according to Israeli officials. The move comes amid longstanding international disagreement over Jerusalem’s status and its significance to both Israelis and Palestinians.
The inauguration ceremony on Wednesday was attended by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar, and West Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said.
Lion described Colombia’s decision as the latest addition to the group of countries maintaining embassies in West Jerusalem. The development follows the restoration of diplomatic relations between Colombia and Israel in August 2026, after Colombia severed ties with Israel in May 2024 under its previous government.
Jerusalem remains one of the most contentious issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel claims the city as its capital, while Palestinians regard East Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in 1967, as the capital of their future state.
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Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1980, a move that has not received international recognition. The United Nations Security Council subsequently adopted Resolution 478, rejecting measures intended to alter the city’s character and status and calling on countries with diplomatic missions in Jerusalem to withdraw them.
Most countries continue to locate their embassies in Tel Aviv or nearby areas, reflecting the international position that Jerusalem’s final status should be determined through negotiations.
According to Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Colombia’s decision brings the number of countries maintaining embassies in West Jerusalem to 10. The others are the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Paraguay, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Nauru, and Somaliland, which is recognized as independent only by Israel.
Colombia’s latest diplomatic move follows another significant shift in its relations with Israel. In August, the country reportedly recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, further marking a change in its diplomatic approach toward Israel.
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The opening of the embassy highlights the continuing international divisions over Jerusalem, where diplomatic decisions carry implications for relations with Israel and the Palestinian people, as well as the broader question of a negotiated settlement to the conflict.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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