From the Liveblog of
Monday, July 27, 2026
Incoming Colombian president says will nix Palestinian embassy plan, confirms Jerusalem mission
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Colombia’s president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella says that he is suspending plans to open an embassy to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah — an initiative of the outgoing left-wing government — and confirms that Bogota is opening an embassy in Jerusalem.
He is also closing 14 embassies around the world.
Bogota’s relations with Jerusalem nosedived under Colombia’s first-ever leftist government led by outgoing President Gustavo Petro, an ardent critic of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
De la Espriella has said he will reverse the decision, and one of his main campaign pledges was to “renew a strategic alliance with the State of Israel,” open an embassy in Jerusalem, and “defend the Judeo-Christian principles that form the foundation of Western civilization.”
He holds dual Colombian and US citizenship. He’s a Trump supporter and a member of the US Republican Party. He has never held public office before and will take the reins from Petro in August.
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