BOGOTA: Colombia, whose president has described Israel’s campaign in Gaza as “genocidal,” said on Wednesday it will open an embassy in Ramallah in the Palestinian territories.

Foreign Minister Luis Murillo told reporters that President Gustavo Petro — an ardent critic of Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu — had given instructions “that we install the embassy of Colombia in Ramallah” in the West Bank.

The announcement came on the same day Ireland, Norway and Spain announced they would recognise a Palestinian state, more than seven months into the devastating Israeli aggression in Gaza. Colombia severed ties with Israel as Petro called Netanyahu “genocidal.”

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2024