Colombia–Israel relations

In an article in the Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs, Marcos Peckel, a Colombian scholar noted that Colombian-Israeli relations can be looked through the lenses of military cooperation, trade links, education and culture, and recognition of Palestine.{{Cite journal|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23739770.2019.1727222|doi = 10.1080/23739770.2019.1727222|title = Colombia and Israel: Toward a Special Relationship|year = 2019|last1 = Peckel|first1 = Marcos|journal = Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs|volume = 13|issue = 3|pages = 353–363| s2cid=216470716 |url-access = subscription}} Militarily, Colombia was one of the first countries to give Israel weapons and engage in arms deals, which continued as a bilateral agreement. Since then, Israel and Colombia shared intelligence, and as Peckel explains, several pieces of Israeli technology. Trade-wise, both countries had a strong relationship.

The spheres of education and culture between Colombia and Israel are interwoven through Israeli scholarships to Colombians and a presence of media in each country.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Colombia has purchased planes, drones, weapons, and intelligence systems from Israel.{{Cite web |title=Colombia hostage rescue: the Israeli angle - Haaretz - Israel News |url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/998838.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327235415/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/998838.html |archive-date=27 March 2010 |access-date=20 June 2009}}

In 1947, during a United Nations General Assembly session, General Assembly Resolution 181 recommended the partition of British Mandate Palestine into one Jewish and one Arab state Colombia abstained.{{Cite web |title=UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 181 |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/un-general-assembly-resolution-181-2 |website=Jewish Virtual Library}}

In the mid-1950s, both countries officially established diplomatic relations and set up embassies in Bogotá and Tel Aviv respectively.[http://bogota.mfa.gov.il/mfm/web/main/document.asp?SubjectID=18365&MissionID=17&LanguageID=501&StatusID=0&DocumentID=-1 {{in lang|es}} Israeli embassy in Colombia: Israel and Colombia] Relations improved in 1988, when major trade agreements{{which|date=July 2013}} were signed between Israel and Colombia. A Free Trade agreement was signed on 10 June 2013. However, it has not yet been ratified by Colombia and therefore is not yet in force.{{cite web|url=http://www.economy.gov.il/InternationalAffairs/TradePolicyAndAgreements/BilateralAgreementsDivision/Pages/Colombia.aspx/|title=Archived copy|access-date=12 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827050243/http://economy.gov.il/InternationalAffairs/TradePolicyAndAgreements/BilateralAgreementsDivision/Pages/Colombia.aspx|archive-date=27 August 2016|url-status=dead}} This agreement reduces tariffs on industrial and agricultural products between the two countries, and enable Israeli companies and individuals to invest with greater ease in the Colombia economy, considered to be second-biggest economy of South America. Israeli exports to Colombia totaled some US$143 million in 2012, and consisted mostly of communications equipment, machinery, electrical and mechanical devices and chemical products.{{cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-columbia-sign-free-trade-agreement/|title=Israel, Colombia sign free trade agreement|work=The Times of Israel|first=Gavriel|last=Fiske|date=10 June 2013|access-date=3 October 2021}}

Colombia supported the aspiration of the Palestinian people to establish themselves as a free and independent state in the region. Additionally, Israel was Colombia's main partner in the region and was Colombia's second-largest trading partner in South America after Brazil. Bilateral relations have deepened through high-level visits in recent history.{{cite web |title=Embajada de Colombia en Israel |url=http://israel.embajada.gov.co/en/about/embassy |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030155725/http://israel.embajada.gov.co/en/about/embassy |archive-date=30 October 2020 |access-date=31 March 2014}}

On 13 September 2017, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid an official visit to Colombia.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-arrives-in-colombia-looks-to-help-post-conflict-efforts/|title=Netanyahu arrives in Colombia, looks to help post-conflict efforts|work=The Times of Israel|date=14 September 2017|first=Raphael|last=Ahren|access-date=3 October 2021}}

Israeli President Isaac Herzog welcomed Colombian President Iván Duque on a state visit to Israel in November 2021. Hosting Duque at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Herzog commended Colombia’s support for Israel and expressed his hopes to boost their bilateral trading relationship. At the state dinner, Herzog paid tribute to Duque's leadership in fighting "terror and rogue organizations affiliated with Iran and narco organizations." During the state visit, Duque inaugurated a Colombian innovation office in Jerusalem, a step that President Herzog welcomed in their joint statements.{{Cite web |title=Herzog asks Colombian president to crack down on Iran in IAEA |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/herzog-asks-colombian-president-to-crack-down-on-iran-as-iaea-board-member-684363 |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |date=8 November 2021 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Baruch |first=Hezki |date=2021-11-08 |title=Colombian President seeks to upgrade ties with Israel |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/316549 |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=Israel National News |language=en}}

On May 2, 2024, president Gustavo Petro announced Colombia would break diplomatic ties with Israel, describing Israel's siege of Gaza as a genocide.{{Cite web |last=Cobb |first=Julia Symmes |date=May 1, 2024 |title=Colombia President Petro says will break diplomatic relations with Israel |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/colombia-president-petro-says-will-break-diplomatic-relations-with-israel-2024-05-01/ |website=Reuters}}

{{See also|Embassy of Palestine, Bogotá}}

Until 2018, Colombia was one of the few remaining governments in Latin America that did not recognize Palestine as a state.{{Cite web | url=https://www.jpost.com/International/WJC-hails-Colombia-over-opposition-to-Palestinian-statehood |title = WJC hails Colombia over opposition to Palestinian statehood|work=The Jerusalem Post|date=31 March 2011|access-date=3 October 2021}}

"Colombia supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel within mutually agreed-upon borders. It considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal but strongly condemns Palestinian terrorism, and it advocates for a lasting peace based on the two-state solution".{{Cite journal|url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23739770.2019.1727222|doi = 10.1080/23739770.2019.1727222|title = Colombia and Israel: Toward a Special Relationship|year = 2019|last1 = Peckel|first1 = Marcos|journal = Israel Journal of Foreign Affairs|volume = 13|issue = 3|pages = 353–363| s2cid=216470716 |url-access = subscription}} On resolutions in the UN General Assembly that compared Zionism to racism and wanted to establish a right of return for Palestinians, Colombia abstained. In 2018, Colombia officially recognized the State of Palestine. Despite this creating a bump in the relations between Israel and Colombia, the two countries re-maintained strong relations.

Colombia's military has numerous weapon and ammunition types produced and/or maintained by Israel, including the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike missile, Israel Weapons Industries-made 5.56mm Galil automatic rifle machine gun and 7.62mm Galil sniper rifle, Rafael Python-3 and Python-4, Israel Aerospace Industries Kfir fighter jets, and has signed up for the Barak MX air defense system.[https://www.defensenews.com/global/2023/10/18/israel-suspends-defense-sales-to-colombia/ Israel suspends defense sales to Colombia], José Higuera, Defense News, 2023-10-19

On 15 October 2023 Israel halted all security exports to Colombia due to remarks of Colombian president Gustavo Petro comparing the Israeli military to Nazis during the Gaza war.{{Cite web |title=Israel halts security exports to Colombia as president likens IDF to Nazis |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israel-halts-security-exports-to-colombia-as-president-likens-idf-to-nazis/ |access-date=2023-10-15 |work=The Times of Israel|language=en-US}} The Guardian called it a "ferocious diplomatic spat".{{Cite news |last1=Phillips |first1=Tom |date=2023-10-16 |title=Israel and Colombia in ferocious diplomatic spat over Hamas war |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/16/colombia-israel-palestine-petro-comment-hamas-war |access-date=2023-10-17 |issn=0261-3077}} Colombia recalled its ambassador from Israel in condemnation of Israel’s bombardment of Palestinian civilians in Gaza.{{Cite news |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=2023-11-02 |title='Genocide', Colombia says as Latin American states condemn Israel over Gaza |language=en-GB |work=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/2/genocide-colombia-says-as-latin-american-states-condemn-israel-over-gaza |access-date=15 October 2024 |issn=}}

== See also ==

{{Stack|{{portal|Colombia|Israel}}}}

• Foreign relations of Colombia
• Foreign relations of Israel
• History of the Jews in Colombia
• International recognition of Israel

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/columbia.html jewishvirtuallibrary.org The Virtual Jewish History Tour Colombia By Sarah Szymkowicz]

{{Foreign relations of Colombia}}

{{Foreign relations of Israel}}

{{Jews and Judaism in Colombia}}

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Israel

Category:Bilateral relations of Israel