RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from The Times of Israel — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 2 sources
Colombia on Monday recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, South American country's new right-wing government announced, making it only the second country in the world to officially endorse Israel's claim to the disputed territory, after the US did so in 2019.
"Given the persistent regional instability in the Middle East and considering the strategic importance of the Golan Heights to Israel's security, the Government of Colombia recognizes Israeli sovereignty over this territory, as well as Israel's right to protect itself against external threats," Colombia's foreign ministry said in a statement.
"In this regional security context, Colombia recognizes that maintaining Israel's control and sovereignty over the Golan Heights is an essential component of its national defense and its ability to protect and safeguard its citizens," the statement said.
The announcement came just days after the inauguration as the nation's president of pro-Israel lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, who has pledged to move the Colombian embassy to Jerusalem and restore once-vibrant ties, which soured during the Gaza war under former president Gustavo Petro. The inauguration was attended by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, amid a push for closer relations with Latin America.
It also came just hours after a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, killing at least 100 people and injuring hundreds more, prompting Israel to offer its assistance.
Reacting to the move, Sa'ar thanked his "good friend" de la Espriella "for his historic decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights."
#Atención | Colombia reconoce la soberanía de Israel sobre los Altos del Golán. pic.twitter.com/D7dDZ6lxzy
— Cancillería Colombia (@CancilleriaCol) August 10, 2026
"With this, the President of Colombia has demonstrated, in one of his first decisions in office, his leadership, his values, and his commitment to Israel and Israel's security," he said on X. Defending the strategic necessity of Israel's control over the territory, Sa'ar said, "Israel is a small country without strategic depth. Having defensible borders is essential for Israel in order to guarantee the existence of the Jewish people in its historic homeland."
Sa'ar added that he will "continue to act so that more countries join" the US and Colombia in recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.
Israel captured the strategic plateau from Syria during the 1967 Six Day War, and extended Israeli law to it in 1981, a step tantamount to annexation.
In 2019, US President Donald Trump broke with decades of US policy by signing a proclamation recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan. His successor, Joe Biden, did not reverse the decision.
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism , please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE , as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.