Colombia Recognizes Israeli Sovereignty over the Golan Heights
Israeli Foreign Minister Welcomes Recognition, Says It Followed Talks with Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella
Colombia has announced its recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, a decision welcomed by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. Bogota thus becomes the second country, after the United States, to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967.
In a statement issued Monday evening, Colombia’s Foreign Ministry said: “Colombia recognizes Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.”
It added: “In light of the continuing regional instability in the Middle East, and given the strategic importance of the Golan Heights to Israel’s security, the Colombian government recognizes Israel’s sovereignty over this area, as well as the state’s right to defend itself against external threats.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar welcomed the decision in a post on the X platform, saying: “I thank Colombia and my dear friend, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, for his historic decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, following our meeting in the Colombian city of Barranquilla last Thursday.”
On Monday morning, the Israeli foreign minister returned from a visit to Colombia, where he had traveled to congratulate its new president on taking office. Saar continued: “With this decision, which ranks among his first decisions in office, the Colombian president has demonstrated his leadership, his values, and his commitment to Israel and its security.”
He said: “Israel is a small country with no strategic depth, and therefore the existence of defensible borders is essential to ensuring the survival of the Jewish people in their historic homeland.”
He stressed that he would continue working “to ensure that more countries join the United States, under President Donald Trump, and Colombia, under President de la Espriella, in recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.”
The decision reflects a notable shift in Bogota’s policy toward Israel following the new president’s arrival in office, after Colombia had adopted increasingly critical positions toward Israel in recent years amid the war in Gaza. The recognition signals a new direction toward strengthening relations with Tel Aviv, particularly in the security and defense fields, amid rapidly changing regional dynamics.
During his first term in office, Donald Trump formally recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights on March 25, 2019, while countries around the world continue to reject Israel’s annexation of the territory.
Since 1967, Israel has occupied most of the Syrian Golan Heights and announced its annexation of the area in 1981, a move rejected by the United Nations, which deemed it null and void under United Nations Security Council Resolution 497.
Israel took advantage of the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, to declare the collapse of the disengagement agreement and occupy the Syrian buffer zone.
