Colombia opens embassy in Jerusalem, restores free trade deal with Israel

Colombia officially opened its embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, making it the 10th country to establish a mission in the city. According to Al-Monitor, the move by President Abelardo de la Espriella reverses his predecessor's break with Israel and includes the restoration of a free trade agreement between the two nations. Middle East Eye reports the decision follows a July announcement by the president and marks a departure from previous criticisms regarding Israel's actions in Gaza.

During the ceremony, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the opening as an important date for both the city and the State of Israel.

Separately, the US Embassy in Israel issued a safety warning on Tuesday regarding unexploded ordnance and munitions located throughout Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. The Jerusalem Post reports this warning followed an explosion during a school trip in northern Israel that killed teenager Elazar Yair Wilensky and injured 24 people.

The embassy stated that unexploded devices, which include items such as artillery shells, rockets, and cluster munitions, can be difficult to identify and are often unmarked. The warning noted that weather, construction, and agricultural work can bring these unstable munitions to the surface.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Jerusalem Post, Middle East Eye — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.