Demonstrators gathered in Bogota on Wednesday to oppose the Colombian government’s recent shift in policy toward Israel. The protest occurred at the Israeli embassy and reflected broader dissatisfaction with the administration’s diplomatic realignment. Participants voiced concerns about Israel’s actions in Gaza and argued that restoring ties represented a departure from the country’s previous stance of non-alignment with Israeli policies.
The demonstration came as President Abelardo de la Espriella, who assumed office in August, has moved to establish closer relations with Israel and the United States. De la Espriella campaigned on strengthening these international partnerships as part of a broader strategy to address domestic security challenges. His administration has already taken concrete steps to implement this policy direction, including the establishment of a new Colombian diplomatic mission in Jerusalem.
These actions represent a reversal of the approach taken by former President Gustavo Petro, whose administration had severed diplomatic relations with Israel and restricted military imports from the country. Under Petro’s government, Colombia had also avoided recognizing Israel’s territorial claims in disputed regions. The current administration has reversed these positions, recently acknowledging Israel’s sovereignty assertions regarding the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, a decision made shortly after de la Espriella took office.
Protest participant Nicolas Isaza expressed concern about the policy reversal, arguing that breaking diplomatic relations had previously signaled Colombia’s refusal to be complicit in what he characterized as Israeli actions. He stated that the new government’s approach had abandoned that principled stance. The timing of the Wednesday demonstration coincided with commemorations related to significant regional events from recent years.
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