Israel, Colombia announce mutual visa exemption as nations continue to rebuild diplomatic ties
With the election of the new right-wing president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia and Israel have restored ties that had been severed for two years under the previous administration.
Israel and Colombia announced a mutual visa exemption starting September 1, according to a Foreign Ministry post on X/Twitter. The decision came after talks between Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Colombia's Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva Escobar, as the two nations aim to bolster their relationship. The move follows Colombia's election of a new right-wing president, Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office after the prior administration of Gustavo Petro severed ties two years ago.
Colombia is a popular travel destination for Israeli tourists, with tens of thousands visiting annually. After President Saar's arrival in Colombia for Espriella's inauguration, the Colombian government recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, only the second country, after the US, to do so. This decision faced criticism from several Arab nations, including Damascus, Riyadh, and Doha, who objected citing regional instability.
Despite the backlash, Colombia's new leadership intends to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Earlier this week, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, prompting Israel's IDF to send a humanitarian delegation, known as the 'Alliance of Brothers,' to assist in search and rescue operations. President Espriella expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israel's support during these trying times.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
