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Israel-Colombia relations

Rescue teams and volunteers search for survivors amid the rubble of a collapsed building following an earthquake in Cali, Colombia, on August 12, 2026. (Raul ARBOLEDA/AFP)
August 13, 2026, 1:20 pm
After earthquake rocks Colombia, Cali’s Jews look to quickly rebuild
No quake-related deaths reported in country’s small Jewish community, but some families have had to move due to damage, synagogue president says
By Zev Stub
View of the first snow this winter on Mount Hermon in Syria, as seen from the northern Golan Heights near the Syrian border, on December 13, 2025. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
August 10, 2026, 10:52 pm
New Colombian government recognizes Israel’s sovereignty over Golan Heights
South American country is just 2nd in world after US to endorse Israeli claim over territory captured from Syria in 1967; FM Sa’ar thanks Bogota for ‘historic decision’
By Lazar Berman and ToI Staff
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, right, meets with Colombia’s incoming president Abelardo de la Espriella at the latter's office in Barranquilla on August 6, 2026, a day before de la Espriella's inauguration. (Lodis Studios)
August 8, 2026, 6:52 am
New Colombian president, who has pledged to restore ties with Israel, takes office
Abelardo de la Espriella meets with Gideon Sa’ar, who thanks him for vow to move embassy to Jerusalem; inauguration held in Cali to signal harder line against illegal armed groups
Colombia's incoming foreign minister Omar Bola Escobar (left) meets with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Washington on July 14, 2026. (Shmulik Almany/Foreign Ministry)
August 5, 2026, 3:18 pm
Sa’ar heads to Colombia, Ecuador as Israel warms ties with Latin America’s right
Foreign minister to attend inauguration of pro-Israel Colombian president, who has vowed to renew strategic alliance, open embassy in Jerusalem after predecessor cut ties over Gaza
By Lazar Berman
Colombian President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella, left, waves to supporters next to his wife Ana Lucia Pineda during a Mass in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquira, in Chiquinquira, Colombia, July 9, 2026. (AP/Fernando Vergara)
July 18, 2026, 4:40 pm
Colombia and Slovenia recognized a Palestinian state. Now they’re moving embassies to Jlem
Political swings offer rare good news for Israel as hostile governments are replaced by pro-Israel conservatives – though local Jews wait to see what impact, if any, that may have at home
By Larry Luxner
Colombia's incoming foreign minister Omar Bola Escobar (left) meets with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in Washington on July 14, 2026. (Shmulik Almany/Foreign Ministry)
July 16, 2026, 6:21 am
Colombia’s next FM says Bogota will open embassy in Jerusalem – 9th country to do so
Jerusalem says the two countries also agreed to restore full diplomatic ties; President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella campaigned on ‘renewing a strategic alliance’ with Israel
By Lazar Berman
Colombia's president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella speaks to supporters from behind bullet-proof glass following the preliminary results of the presidential runoff election in Barranquilla, Colombia, on June 21, 2026. (Jaime SALDARRIAGA / AFP)
June 24, 2026, 11:45 pm
Colombia’s president-elect vows to work with Israel ‘like never before’
Trump-backed De la Espriella says he’ll reverse outgoing Petro’s anti-Israel policies, push Bogota closer to Washington and Jerusalem; Sa’ar congratulates ‘true friend’
By AFP and ToI Staff
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro speaks during a military ceremony in Bogota, Colombia, June 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
June 10, 2026, 6:50 am
Colombia’s outgoing president under fire over ‘Heil Hitler’ tweet
Gustavo Petro defends his use of Nazi slogan in response to op-ed endorsing right-wing candidate, claiming it included ‘fascist phrases’
By Grace Gilson
Presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella of the Defenders of the Motherland movement addresses supporters from inside a bulletproof booth after leading the first round of the presidential election and advancing to a runoff in Barranquilla, Colombia, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
June 1, 2026, 4:33 am
Colombia election heads to run-off between pro- and anti-Israel contenders
Tough-on-crime De La Espriella is leading but falls short of the 50% needed to avoid run-off; outgoing president Petro refuses to accept results, claiming results were manipulated
By AP
This combination of pictures created on May 14, 2026, shows (L-R) Colombia's presidential candidate from the ruling party Pacto Historico, Ivan Cepeda, delivering a speech during a May Day rally marking International Workers Day in Bogota on May 1, 2026; Colombia's presidential candidate Paloma Valencia, of the Centro Democratico party, speaking during a campaign rally in Rionegro, Antioquia department, Colombia on April 13, 2026; and Colombian presidential candidate for the Defensores de la Patria political movement, Abelardo de la Espriella, gesturing during a campaign rally in Medellin, Colombia on January 28, 2026. (Raul ARBOLEDA and Jaime SALDARRIAGA / AFP)
May 31, 2026, 6:49 am
Colombians head to the polls, with 2 pro-Israel candidates challenging anti-Israel leftist
Frontrunner Cepeda has vowed to continue path of incumbent Petro who cut ties with Jewish state; right-wingers De La Espriella and Valencia want to restore alliance
By Reuters and ToI Staff
Handout picture released by Colombian Air Force showing Kfir combat airplane from the Colombian Air Force and a F15 jet (L) of the US Air Force during a military exercise in Puerto Salgar, Colombia, on September 8, 2023. (Handout / Colombian Air Force / AFP)
April 4, 2025, 7:51 pm
Colombia, which cut ties with Israel, to replace aging Israeli fighter jets with Swedish
Bogota says maintaining Kfir aircraft too complicated after severing relations with Jerusalem last year, though previous governments had also planned to replace them
By AP and ToI Staff
A man holds his phone with NSO GROUP logo on a computer screen in the background, in Jerusalem, on February 7, 2022. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 5, 2024, 9:01 pm
Colombia opens probe into police’s alleged purchase, illegal use of Israeli spyware
President Petro claims law enforcers used cash to buy NSO Group’s Pegasus software under previous government, used it to spy on political leaders and activists
By Agencies
Coal stacks at the Orot Rabin power station in Hadera, central Israel, August 28, 2008. (Chen Leopold/Flash90)
June 10, 2024, 2:23 pm
Israel ‘has alternatives’ to suspended Colombian coal, says electric company
Latin American country supplies more than half of Israel’s coal; IEC negotiating with alternative suppliers to ‘increase room for maneuver’
By Sue Surkes
Colombian President Gustavo Petro delivers a speech during a military ceremony at the Military School of Cadets General Jose Maria Cordova in Bogota on May 31, 2024. (Raul ARBOLEDA / AFP)
June 9, 2024, 11:15 am
Colombia says it will halt coal sales to Israel over war in Gaza
Government document says exports to only resume once Jerusalem complies with UN court ruling on Rafah; Colombian Mining Association says move imperils markets, foreign investment
By Agencies and ToI Staff
Kfir aircraft of the Colombian Air Force overfly a Colombian flag during a ceremony commemorating Colombia's Independence Day in Bogota on July 20, 2021. (Photo by Juan BARRETO / AFP)
May 3, 2024, 11:46 am
How cutting ties with Israel could hamstring Colombia’s military, ground Air Force
Jerusalem is sole provider of maintenance to Colombia’s aging fleet of Israeli-made Kfir fighter jets, and a key supplier of other arms, cyber security; trade will also be harmed
By ASTRID SUAREZ
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