{"id":96321,"date":"2026-10-14T09:30:36","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T14:30:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/?p=96321"},"modified":"2026-10-14T09:30:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T14:30:36","slug":"colombia-becomes-10th-country-with-embassy-in-jerusalem","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/colombia-becomes-10th-country-with-embassy-in-jerusalem\/","title":{"rendered":"Colombia becomes 10th country with embassy in Jerusalem"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>By JOSHUA MARKS<\/p>\n<div class=\"ArticlePage-dateAndSource\">(<em>JNS.org<\/em>) \u2013&nbsp;Colombia on Wednesday morning opened its embassy in Jerusalem, the 10th foreign diplomatic mission in the Israeli capital.<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_96322\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy.webp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-96322\" class=\"wp-image-96322 size-medium lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy.webp 1000w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 300px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 300\/169;\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-96322\" class=\"wp-image-96322 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy-300x169.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Columbia_embassy.webp 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"caption-attachment-96322\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Officials, including Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar, Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, attend the inauguration of Colombia\u2019s embassy in Jerusalem, Oct. 14, 2026. (Photo by Rafi Ben Hakoon\/GPO)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa\u2019ar, joined by Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and Israel\u2019s ambassador to Colombia, Vivian Aisen, said after signing the embassy\u2019s guest book that it was a \u201chistorical day for the relations between Colombia and Israel, which is also an important day for Jerusalem, our capital.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>During the ceremony, the embassy sign was unveiled and Sa\u2019ar affixed a mezuzah at the entrance.<\/p>\n<p>In a post on X shortly after the ceremony, Sa\u2019ar said Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella had pledged during a meeting in Buenos Aires, before his election, to move Colombia\u2019s embassy to Jerusalem immediately upon becoming president.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe promised\u2014and fulfilled,\u201d Sa\u2019ar wrote, adding that the number of embassies in Jerusalem had doubled since he took office less than two years ago. \u201cThere will be more, God willing\u2014and soon!\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center=\"\">\n<div class=\"Enhancement-item\">\n<div class=\"TweetUrl\">\n<div class=\"twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered\"><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" title=\"X Post\" data-src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=joshmarks78&amp;dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2110279836635721851&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jns.org%2Fnews%2Fisrael-news%2Fcolombia-becomes-10th-country-with-embassy-in-jerusalem&amp;sessionId=005c70d2f6d12d7d89d708d3411f7df61f978fc7&amp;siteScreenName=JNS_org&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-tweet-id=\"2110279836635721851\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"lazyload\" data-load-mode=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cOpening an embassy in Jerusalem is not only recognition of the simple political fact that Jerusalem is Israel\u2019s capital,\u201d Sa\u2019ar said at the ceremony. \u201cIt is also recognition of a historical truth that no honest person can deny.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cToday, we are taking a concrete step towards restoring diplomatic relations between our countries, relations that should never have been broken,\u201d Escobar said at the ceremony, according to Israel\u2019s Foreign Ministry. \u201cIsrael is a strategic partner. It always has been, and from now on, it will be an even stronger one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aisen welcomed the opening in a post on X.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMay it be another step in strengthening the bonds of friendship between our nations!\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Sa\u2019ar was scheduled to host Escobar for bilateral talks at the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem following the ceremony.<\/p>\n<p>Escobar arrived in the Jewish state on Tuesday ahead of the <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/news\/israel-news\/colombia-to-open-embassy-in-jerusalem-on-wednesday\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">inauguration<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>The same day, Jerusalem and Bogot\u00e1 <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/news\/israel-news\/israel-colombia-restore-free-trade-deal-ahead-of-jerusalem-embassy-inauguration\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">restored their free trade agreement,<\/a><\/span> in what the Israeli Foreign Ministry described as \u201ca further significant step to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thank my friend, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, for his determination to bring Israel-Colombia relations to an all-time high,\u201d Sa\u2019ar said. \u201cI am confident that together we will achieve exactly that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The embassy opening marks a diplomatic reversal under Espriella, who took office in August and restored ties with Israel after his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, severed them over the Gaza war. Colombia also became the second country after the United States to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights.<\/p>\n<p>Tuesday\u2019s actions formally reverse Petro\u2019s decision to terminate the free trade agreement with Israel. The completion of the exchange of diplomatic notes follows the understandings reached between Sa\u2019ar and Escobar, during their meeting in Washington on July 15.<\/p>\n<p>Colombia had long been considered one of Israel\u2019s closest partners in Latin America, maintaining extensive cooperation in trade, agriculture and security before relations deteriorated under Petro.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn just two months, we have reversed most of the negative consequences of the Petro era and opened new doors in Israel-Colombia relations,\u201d said Sa\u2019ar.<\/p>\n<p>Nine other countries currently have embassies in Israel\u2019s capital: the United States, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Naoero (Nauru), Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Somaliland.<\/p>\n<p>All the other nations that have diplomatic relations with Israel maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv or its suburbs.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem during his first term set the stage for other countries to follow suit.<\/p>\n<p>The Democratic Republic of <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/news\/israel-news\/democratic-republic-of-congo-to-move-embassy-to-jerusalem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">Congo<\/a><\/span> is expected to be the next country to move its embassy to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n<p>Argentine President <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/israel-news\/argentina-to-relocate-embassy-to-jerusalem-in-2026-says-milei\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">Javier Milei<\/a><\/span> and Sen. <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jns.org\/israel-news\/if-elected-brazilian-presidential-candidate-flavio-bolsonaro-to-move-embassy-to-jerusalem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-cms-ai=\"0\">Fl\u00e1vio Bolsonaro<\/a><\/span>, the front-runner in the Brazilian presidential race, have both pledged to move their countries\u2019 embassies to Israel\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom:20px; 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