Foreign Ministers Reject Colombia’s Jerusalem Embassy Opening

Algeria, in conjunction with foreign ministers from 18 other nations, has issued a strong condemnation of Colombia's decision to open an embassy in Jerusalem. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that this collective rejection includes Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Djibouti, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Egypt, and Yemen. This unified position highlights a significant diplomatic initiative on an issue of international concern.

The foreign ministers explicitly expressed their categorical rejection of Colombia's action, clarifying that the establishment of an embassy in Jerusalem contravenes relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. This step is seen as undermining international efforts aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace, predicated on the two-state solution. The ministers reaffirmed that any measure or decision intended to alter the legal or historical status of occupied Jerusalem, or to recognize it as the capital of “Israel,” is considered null and void, without any legal effect. This stance aligns with pertinent UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions, specifically Resolutions 476 (1980) and 478 (1980), which reject attempts to change Jerusalem's character or status and call for the withdrawal of diplomatic missions from the city, which is part of the 1967 occupied Palestinian territories.

In light of this, the participating nations urged the Colombian government to reconsider and reverse its decision. They called upon Colombia to uphold its obligations under international law and to refrain from taking actions that could infringe upon the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to establish an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.