Israel Targets Latin America in 2026 Diplomatic Push, Restoring Ties with Colombia and Others
Israel’s foreign minister declared 2026 the “year of Latin America,” and the country is re-establishing diplomatic and trade links with several Latin American nations, most notably Colombia under its new president.
In response to diplomatic fallout from Israel’s Gaza campaign, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, whose father was born in Argentina, proclaimed 2026 the “year of Latin America” at a Jerusalem conference. The policy shift follows the recall of ambassadors by Colombia and Bolivia and the severing of ties by former Colombian president Gustavo Petro. New Colombian president Abelardo de la Espriella attended Sa’ar’s inauguration, promising to shift the Colombian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, cancel a planned Palestinian embassy, resume trade, withdraw from South Africa’s genocide case, recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and pursue military cooperation.
Venezuela’s new foreign minister Félix Plasencia González announced joint technical assistance after the June earthquakes, and Bolivia’s president Rodrigo Paz is also restoring relations. Argentina’s Javier Milei and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched the Isaac Accords, a framework for cooperation across the Americas. Israel hopes the outreach will bolster regional security, create economic opportunities and counterbalance criticism from bodies such as the EU and UN.
Why it matters
The initiative reshapes Israel’s foreign relations, linking it more closely with a shifting, conservative Latin America.
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