Colombian Vice President José Manuel Restrepo, meeting with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Friday, said the new administration is committed to maximizing the restored relationship. 'From this point onward, we will make the most of this relationship,' Restrepo stated, according to i24NEWS.
Colombian Vice President José Manuel Restrepo, meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Friday, pledged that the new administration will 'make the most' of the restored bilateral relationship. The meeting took place on the day of President Abelardo de la Espriella's inauguration, marking the highest-level engagement since the diplomatic freeze was reversed.
The Zioneer has been tracking this rapid diplomatic shift. Earlier on Friday, initial reports from Abu Ali Express indicated that the Colombian embassy would move to Jerusalem. Shortly after, i24NEWS and Channel 12 confirmed that Restrepo had declared an immediate restoration of full diplomatic ties, the reinstatement of the free trade agreement, and the decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem. Restrepo characterized 2026 as 'the beginning of a new dawn' in relations.
This week's developments follow a series of steps: Sa'ar's meeting with de la Espriella in Barranquilla on Thursday, where he declared a 'golden era' in ties, and the July agreement in Washington to restore relations after the August 7 inauguration. The shift reverses the adversarial stance of former President Gustavo Petro, who severed ties with Israel in June 2024. The de la Espriella administration has pledged to move the embassy to Jerusalem and deepen economic cooperation.
The specific timeline for implementing the embassy move and the free trade agreement remains to be detailed, but both sides have signaled a swift return to full partnership.
3 developments
- StrongColombia President de la Espriella reinforces pledge for 'stronger than ever' Israel ties
- StrongIsrael and Colombia agree to fully restore diplomatic, economic ties after August 7 inauguration
- StrongSa'ar, on eve of Colombia inauguration, declares 'golden era' in ties with de la Espriella
- StrongColombia's incoming foreign minister pledges to renew ties with Israel, move embassy to Jerusalem
Source and signal
- Open-source intake