Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced Monday that he is suspending the opening of a Palestinian embassy in Colombia, while confirming his plan to open a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem, according to Israeli media reports. The move is part of a broader diplomatic overhaul that includes closing 14 embassies and severing ties with Cuba and Nicaragua.
Colombia's President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella announced today (Monday) that he is suspending the opening of a Palestinian embassy in Colombia and will proceed with his plan to open a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem. The move is part of a sweeping diplomatic overhaul that includes closing 14 Colombian embassies worldwide and severing diplomatic relations with Cuba and Nicaragua. The president-elect clarified that the embassy closures are a cost-saving streamlining measure and do not constitute a severance of ties with those countries, with the exception of Cuba and Nicaragua. The announcement, reported by Israeli media outlets including N12 and Abu Ali Express, represents the latest development in a series of commitments made by de la Espriella since his election.
As The Zioneer reported on June 25, de la Espriella declared his first official act would be opening an embassy in Jerusalem and renewing the alliance with Israel. On July 16, Colombia's incoming foreign minister formally informed Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar of the plan. Today's announcement adds the suspension of the Palestinian embassy and the specifics of the broader diplomatic restructuring, which were first reported at 12:34 PM Jerusalem time. The initial reports from a single source were quickly corroborated by multiple Israeli newsrooms, and the president-elect himself confirmed the details later in the day.
The shift reverses the policies of the outgoing administration of Gustavo Petro, which had maintained close ties with the Palestinian Authority and planned to open a Palestinian embassy in Bogotá. The Zioneer has reported on a broader trend of countries opening embassies in Jerusalem, including the historic opening of the Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem on June 14 of this year.
The exact timeline for the opening of the Colombian embassy in Jerusalem and the closure of the Palestinian embassy in Bogotá have not been specified. The changes are expected to take effect after de la Espriella officially assumes office.
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