Colombia has officially recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, becoming the second nation in the world to do so. The announcement, issued by the Colombian Foreign Ministry on Monday, follows the 2019 decision by the United States to formally recognize Israel’s claim to the territory.
Colombia Shifts Diplomatic Stance on Golan Heights
The move marks a significant departure from the long-standing international consensus, which views the Golan Heights as Syrian territory under Israeli military occupation. Israel captured the plateau during the 1967 Six-Day War and effectively annexed it in 1981 by extending Israeli law to the region. The United Nations and the majority of the international community have historically rejected this annexation, with the UN Security Council previously declaring the move null and void.
Strategic Rationale and Official Justification
In its formal statement, the Colombian government cited persistent regional instability in the Middle East
as a primary factor in its decision. Bogotá emphasized the strategic importance of the plateau to Israel’s national security, noting that maintaining control over the area is an essential component of its national defense and its ability to protect and safeguard its citizens.
The declaration further stated that the government recognizes Israel’s right to protect itself against external threats.
According to the Colombian Foreign Ministry, this decision is intended to reaffirm the nation’s commitment to seeking stable and lasting peace
in the Middle East.
Political Transition Under De la Espriella
The recognition was one of the first major policy decisions made by newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office on August 7, 2026. A pro-Israel lawyer and US-backed millionaire, de la Espriella campaigned on a platform of restoring the historic alliance
between Bogotá and Jerusalem, which had soured under his predecessor, Gustavo Petro.
During the term of the previous administration, Colombia severed diplomatic relations with Israel and halted arms imports in response to the war in the Gaza Strip. De la Espriella has pledged to reverse these policies, including plans to relocate the Colombian embassy to Jerusalem.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar praised the recognition as a historic decision.
Sa’ar, who met with de la Espriella in the Colombian city of Barranquilla on August 6—one day before the president’s inauguration—thanked both the new leader and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar for the shift.
With this, the President of Colombia has demonstrated, in one of his first decisions in office, his leadership, his values, and his commitment to Israel and Israel’s security,
Sa’ar stated on X. He added that Israel, as a nation without significant strategic depth, requires defensible borders to ensure the security of its citizens.
Context and International Reaction
The announcement coincided with a period of significant military activity in the region. Since the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad government in December 2024, Israel has expanded its military footprint in Syria, moving troops into a UN-monitored buffer zone and seizing strategic locations such as the Syrian side of Jabal al-Sheikh (Mount Hermon).
While the Colombian government framed the decision as a security necessity, critics have pointed to the timing of the announcement, which occurred shortly after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia, resulting in at least 111 deaths and dozens of injuries. Additionally, some observers have raised concerns that the move undermines the established international principle against the acquisition of territory by force.
Despite these criticisms, the Israeli government has indicated it will continue to lobby other nations to follow the precedents set by the United States and Colombia. As of the current announcement, the international community largely continues to categorize the plateau as Syrian land under Israeli occupation, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently reiterating that the status of the territory remains a point of international contention.