Colombia's new far-right administration backs Israel's claim to the Golan Heights

Following the inauguration of President Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia's Foreign Ministry announced that it recognises Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a region captured from Syria in 1967 and annexed by Israel in 1981. The declaration makes Colombia the second country, after the United States, to formally accept Israel's claim. In a post on X, the ministry said the recognition supports Israel's national defence and its ability to counter external threats.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar praised de la Espriella as a "good friend" and called the step historic, noting that the two leaders had discussed it in Barranquilla the day before the inauguration. The decision diverges from the United Nations, which continues to regard the Golan as Syrian territory, and follows Israel's recent expansion of its military presence in Syria after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024. De la Espriella, who ran on a platform of closer ties with the United States and Israel, also reversed his predecessor's moves to sever diplomatic relations with Israel and to open a Palestinian embassy in the occupied West Bank.