RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Wednesday led Arab states in condemning Colombia’s opening of an embassy in occupied Jerusalem, calling it a flagrant violation of international law and UN resolutions, and a decision that undermines the city’s legal and historical status.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the move contradicted the longstanding international position on Jerusalem and urged the international community, including the UN Security Council, to take immediate action against Israeli policies aimed at changing the status of the contested city.
The Kingdom called on international parties to fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities, and prevent Israel from imposing a new reality by force, warning that such measures threatened prospects for a just and lasting peace, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry condemned any attempts to change Jerusalem’s status or legal standing, declaring them null, illegitimate and without legal effect. A spokesperson said that the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state within the borders of June 4, 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is the only way to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the region, according to the Jordan News Agency.
Colombia inaugurated its embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, becoming the 10th country to establish a diplomatic mission in the city, where Israel claims sovereignty despite international opposition.
The US moved its embassy to Jerusalem in 2018 during the first Donald Trump administration, followed by a small number of other countries. Most countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv, including regional powers such as China, France, the UK, Russia and Germany.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and his Colombian counterpart, Omar Bula, attended the opening ceremony. Sa’ar described the move as an important occasion for Israel and Jerusalem.
The move marks a significant shift in Colombia’s foreign policy under President Abelardo de la Espriella, who restored diplomatic relations with Israel after his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, severed ties in 2024 over the war in Gaza. Colombia also recently recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, drawing condemnation from Saudi Arabia and other countries.
In September, the Republic of Nauru, a tiny South Pacific island nation of 12,100 people, opened an embassy in Jerusalem. Other countries that have opened embassies in Jerusalem include Somaliland, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
Somaliland, a self-declared independent republic that functions as a de facto country, opened its embassy in Jerusalem in June this year. Israel is the only country that recognizes the territory in the Horn of Africa as an independent and sovereign state.