Colombia's new government formally recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, making it the second United Nations member state to do so. Israel captured the plateau from Syria in 1967 and extended its law there in 1981, an action that most of the international community does not recognize.
Colombia's Foreign Ministry said Israeli control was essential to the country's national defence and its capacity to protect its citizens from external threats. The announcement followed a commitment reached between Colombian and Israeli officials on Saturday, according to both governments. The United States had previously stood alone in recognizing the Israeli claim, after acting in 2019 during Donald Trump's first presidency.
President Abelardo de la Espriella took office on Friday after campaigning on stronger relationships with Washington and Jerusalem. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar attended his inauguration and said they had agreed on the Golan policy in Barranquilla a day beforehand. Sa'ar thanked De la Espriella and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bola Escobar, presenting defensible borders as vital to Israel's continued existence.
The move conflicts with the UN position that the heights remain Syrian land under Israeli military occupation. Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated that position in July and described the occupation as unacceptable. Bogotá's announcement therefore changes Colombian policy but not the territory's status under the prevailing international view.
Recognition is part of a broader realignment after the presidency of Gustavo Petro. Petro sharply criticized Israel's Gaza campaign, broke diplomatic relations and stopped imports of Israeli weapons. Under De la Espriella, Colombia ordered the full restoration of diplomatic ties, the rapid appointment of ambassadors and relocation of its embassy to Jerusalem. It also withdrew from South Africa's case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.
Jerusalem's status, like that of the Golan, remains internationally disputed. Israel regards the whole city, including occupied East Jerusalem, as its capital, but most governments keep embassies in Tel Aviv. De la Espriella had announced before taking office that he intended to move the Colombian mission.
Israeli officials said they hoped additional countries would follow Colombia. Golan Regional Council head Ori Kallner welcomed the decision and credited Sa'ar's diplomatic work. The recognition also fits an Israeli Foreign Ministry campaign to strengthen South American relations, with 2026 designated its “Year of Latin America.” It marks a pronounced shift in Bogotá's regional diplomacy only days into the new administration.
The Colombian announcement was issued on the same day that a destructive earthquake hit the country's west, killing at least 111 people and injuring dozens. The disasters were unrelated, but their timing meant the foreign-policy shift arrived as the new administration was also confronting a major domestic emergency.
