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Colombian President Gustavo Petro has announced that Colombia will move to open an embassy in the Palestinian city of Ramallah.
In a statement, Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo confirmed the decision: “President Petro has given the order that we open the Colombian embassy in Ramallah, the representation of Colombia in Ramallah, that is the next step we are going to take.”
This move comes as relations between Colombia and Israel have been breaking down in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Petro recalled the Colombian ambassador from Tel Aviv, signaling a potential break in diplomatic relations with Israel amid its ongoing war on Gaza. This action followed the closure of the Colombian embassy in Israel on May 3. President Petro, a self described “left-wing” leader who assumed office in 2022, has been a vocal critic of Israel and is considered part of the progressive “pink tide” movement in Latin America.
The decision to add a Colombian embassy has not been without controversy. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Petro of being “antisemitic and full of hate,” suggesting that Colombia’s actions were a reward for Hamas.
More on Ramallah:
Ramallah, located in the occupied West Bank, functions as the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority.
