Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar has said his country would withdraw from the anti-Israel Hague Group as he delivered an emotional speech celebrating the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Hague Group is a coalition of countries seeking diplomatic, legal and economic measures against Israel over the war in Gaza.
It came as Israel and Colombia restored their free trade agreement “in a further significant step to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday.
Following the understandings reached between Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and his Colombian counterpart, Omar Bula Escobar, during their meeting in Washington on July 15, the two countries completed an exchange of diplomatic notes on Tuesday formally reversing the decision of former president Gustavo Petro to terminate the free trade agreement with Israel.
Colombia had long been considered one of Israel’s closest partners in Latin America, maintaining extensive cooperation in trade, agriculture and security before relations deteriorated under Petro.
“In just two months, we have reversed most of the negative consequences of the Petro era and opened new doors in Israel-Colombia relations,” said Sa’ar.
Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar arrived in Israel on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration of the Colombian Embassy in Jerusalem.
Colombia’s embassy will become the tenth foreign embassy to open in Israel’s capital.
“I thank my friend, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, for his determination to bring Israel-Colombia relations to an all-time high. I am confident that together we will achieve exactly that,” said Sa’ar.
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