Colombia recognized Palestine as a sovereign state in the days before new President Ivan Duque took office, according to a letter from the foreign ministry made public on Wednesday.

"I would like to inform you that in the name of the government of Colombia, President Juan Manuel Santos has decided to recognize Palestine as a free, independent and sovereign state," said the letter dated August 3.

New Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said he would review the "implications" of the previous government's decision, in accordance with international law and good diplomatic practice.

"It is a priority for this government to maintain cooperative relations with its allies and friends, and to contribute to international peace and security," Holmes said.

Before the announcement, Colombia had been one of only two countries in the region, along with Panama, not to recognize Palestinian statehood.

Bogota, an ally of the United States, has historically maintained close ties with Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been scheduled to arrive in Colombia on Monday but called off the trip at the last minute, saying he needed to focus on developments along his country's border with the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian mission in Bogota told AFP that they were told of the decision last Friday. It welcomed the move by Bogota as evidence of "profound efforts to reach a rapprochement." </s> BOGOTA – Colombia’s new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos’ recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos’ decision, which was detailed in an Aug. 3 letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.

“Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law,” new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement.

“Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbors,” the letter said.

The Israeli embassy in Bogota said it was surprised and disappointed.

“We ask the Colombian government to reverse the decision made by the previous administration in its last days, which contravenes the close relations, extensive cooperation in vital areas and interests of both countries,” it said in a statement posted to its Twitter account.

The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. She attended Duque’s inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan migrants in the northern border city of Cucuta.

The United States, a close ally of Israel, was getting more information about the situation and had no immediate comment, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said.

“We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East,” the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.

As of 3 August 2018, 137 of the 193 member states of the United Nations and two non-member states have recognized the State of Palestine. Many of the countries that do not recognize the State of Palestine nevertheless recognize the PLO as the “representative of the Palestinian people“. On 29 November 2012, the UN General Assembly passed a motion changing Palestine’s “entity” status to “non-member observer state” by a vote of 138 to 9, with 41 abstentions

Palestine seeks to create a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands that Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Colombia abstained in December from a vote by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor. </s> Colombia’s new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos’ recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos’ decision, which was detailed in an 3 August letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.

“Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law,” new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement.

Santos decided to recognize Palestine as a “free, independent and sovereign state,” according to the letter, which was circulated to reporters by the foreign ministry.

“Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbors,” the letter said.

The Israeli embassy in Bogota said it was surprised and disappointed.

“We ask the Colombian government to reverse the decision made by the previous administration in its last days, which contravenes the close relations, extensive cooperation in vital areas and interests of both countries,” it said in a statement posted to its Twitter account.

The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. She attended Duque’s inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan migrants in the northern border city of Cucuta.

The United States, a close ally of Israel, was getting more information about the situation and had no immediate comment, the US mission to the United Nations said.

“We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East,” the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.

Palestine has been recognized as a sovereign state by the U.N. General Assembly, the International Criminal Court and at least 136 countries.

Palestine seeks to create a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands that Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Colombia abstained in December from a vote by the 193-member UN General Assembly on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. US President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor. </s> Colombia has decided to recognize Palestine as a "free, independent and sovereign" state, the Palestinian Diplomatic Mission in Bogota said Wednesday.

"This decision is synonymous with the work carried out to strengthen diplomatic ties between the Palestinian and Colombian governments, an effort that…will definitively be strengthened in the near future," the mission said in a press release.

Colombia was the only South American nation that had not recognized Palestine as a sovereign state. Its decision brings the number of countries worldwide that do so to 140.

Alexander Montero, political adviser to the Palestinian Diplomatic Mission in Bogota, said the decision was taken after a long struggle and series of conversations with many Colombian governments. In fact, Palestine has had diplomatic representation in Colombia for the past 22 years.

"The Colombian government took into account that it was the only South American country and one of only two Latin American countries [along with Panama] that had not taken this step. But the most important thing is that this comes as a novel action to foster peace in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine," Montero told Anadolu Agency.

"These types of recognitions are elements that help promote peace, since they allow for the protection of the Palestinian population, or at least they foster mechanisms that try to guarantee their protection."

The measure, announced Wednesday, was a decision by the Colombian state and backed by the outgoing government of former president Juan Manuel Santos and incoming government of Ivan Duque.

"Although it is true that the Santos government was the one that proposed this step, it is very important that the decision was made public today, since it shows a high degree of friendship stemming from the new Colombian government," said Montero.

The decision took many by surprise because during his campaign, Duque said he was open to the possibility of recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, which Montero said would not be coherent with recognizing Palestine as an independent state.

"That decision [on Jerusalem], only taken by [U.S. President] Donald Trump's government and some uninfluential countries in Latin America, is not legal and does not help peace in any way."

Palestine embarked on a strategy to seek international recognition as an independent state in 1988 with its declaration of independence. Between 2009 and 2010, a second phase began, during which many countries decided to recognize it as an independent state. In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly granted Palestine the status of non-member observer state. </s> Colombia's new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos' recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

BOGOTA: Colombia's new government said it would review former President Juan Manuel Santos' recognition of Palestine after the previously unreleased decision was made public on Wednesday.

President Ivan Duque took office on Tuesday and was informed a few days ago of Santos' decision, which was detailed in an Aug. 3 letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.

"Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law," new Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said in a statement.

Santos decided to recognise Palestine as a "free, independent and sovereign state," according to the letter, which was circulated to reporters by the foreign ministry.

"Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbours," the letter said.

The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. She attended Duque's inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan migrants in the northern border city of Cucuta.

The United States, a close ally of Israel, was getting more information about the situation and had no immediate comment, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said.

"We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East," the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.

Palestine has been recognised as a sovereign state by the U.N. General Assembly, the International Criminal Court and at least 136 countries.

Palestine seeks to create a state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, lands that Israel captured in the 1967 war.

Colombia abstained in December from a vote by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favour.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to a peace deal between Israel and Palestine, who were furious over Trump's move. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the full city. </s> “The embassy of Palestine is very pleased to inform that the government of the republic of Colombia has decided to recognise Palestine as a free, independent and sovereign state,” the statement read.

The decision was taken by the government of former president Juan Manuel Santos, who handed over office to his successor Ivan Duque on Tuesday.

"We are conscious of the difficulties and suffering that the Palestinian population has faced," Santos’ foreign minister Maria Angela Holguin had previously written to her Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki.

More than 130 countries have already recognised the independence of Palestine. </s> Colombia on Wednesday became the last South American country to recognize Palestine as a "free, independent and sovereign" state, a decision taken by the former administration, while the country's new foreign minister said the relevant implications will be analyzed.

In a letter dated Aug. 3, former Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin, who left office Tuesday, informed her then Palestinian counterpart, Riad Malik, of Colombia's decision. </s> RAMALLAH, August 8, 2018 (WAFA) - Outgoing Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, in presence of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, Aría Ángela Holguín, handed an official letter from the foreign minister to Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki stating that "the President of the Republic of Colombia has decided to recognize the State of Palestine."

The recognition came days before the end of President Santos’ term in office, and before the newly-elected president, Ivan Duque, assumes office. The step was approved by the newly-elected president, Duque.

This decision came following years of intensive efforts exerted by the Palestinian foreign ministry, represented by Malki, as well as by Palestine’s diplomatic mission in Colombia.

Colombia was the only South American country that did not yet recognize the State of Palestine.

T.R. </s> Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you. Isaiah 49:7 (The Israel Bible™)

The Israeli embassy in Bogotá, Colombia criticised the government’s decision to grant formal recognition to a Palestinian state and said the move contradicted the good relations between the two countries. The embassy stressed that as a friendly government, Jerusalem would have expected to have been forewarned of a dramatic policy shift.

“This decision is in complete contradiction to the good relations between Israel and Colombia, and the close ties between the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] and the new president of Colombia, Iván Duque… When we have a good relationship, we expect to be warned about decisions like this or changes in policy, so we were very surprised,” the embassy wrote in a statement.

The government of outgoing President Juan Manuel Santos decided to recognize “Palestine” on August 3. But the policy shift was only announced on August 8, after the inauguration of the new government. The foreign minister of the new government announced that the measure would be reconsidered.

Despite the back-and-forth policy, a local Spanish-language commentator on Latin American and Israeli affairs said the decision would have little impact, either on bilateral ties or on the international level.

“I don’t believe this decision will not have any implications on relations with Israel,” said Dr. Gustavo D. Perednik, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina and the author of 15 books on Israel, Latin America and Jewish philosophy. “The new government is very friendly with Israel so it doesn’t really matter what the outgoing president said. Colombia will even probably move their embassy to Jerusalem, if Duque is asked to by President Trump.”

On a regional level, too, Perednik said the policy is not likely to signify a wide-spread policy shift. He noted that Bogotá was one of the last Latin American countries to recognise a Palestinian state, but added that Netanyahu’s trip to South and Central America last year was both the result of improving diplomatic and economic ties in recent years and contributed to continued expansion.

Netanyahu cancelled a scheduled trip to Colombia at the last minute last week, saying he wanted to oversee developments in the south in real time, particularly the visit of Saleh al-Arouri, the founding commander of Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades armed wing who is believed to be the organization’s commander in Judea and Samaria. The premier had been scheduled to attend the inauguration of incoming President Iván Duque and to hold meetings with several Latin American leaders. </s> OSLO -- Colombia's peace deal is a model for countries at war like Syria, President Juan Manuel Santos said Saturday as he accepted his Nobel Peace Prize, though a ceremony for other laureates was marked by Bob Dylan's no-show.

Earlier in the day in Oslo, Santos said in his acceptance speech that the Colombian peace accord, signed on Nov. 24 to end five decades of conflict, was a "model for the resolution of armed conflicts that have yet to be resolved around the world."

"It proves that what, at first, seems impossible, through perseverance may become possible even in Syria or Yemen or South Sudan," Santos said as he collected his prize at a lavish ceremony at Oslo's City Hall, decked out in red, orange and white roses and carnations imported from Colombia for the occasion.

Santos, who wore a dove lapel pin on his dark suit and whose wife donned a white dress with a peace symbol cut-out in the back, said his government was itself inspired by other peace processes in Northern Ireland, South Africa, the Middle East and Central America.

After a first peace deal was rejected in a popular vote on Oct. 2, the rebels and government negotiated a new accord to end the conflict, which has killed more than 260,000 people, left tens of thousands missing and forced nearly 7 million to flee their homes.

"The Colombian peace agreement is a ray of hope in a world troubled by so many conflicts and so much intolerance," he said.

Yet in an interview with AFP, Santos acknowledged that the hardest part of the country's peace process was yet to come.

The period ahead "is a more difficult phase than the (negotiation) process itself, and will require a lot of effort, perseverance and humility," he said.

"A lot of coordination efforts will also be needed ... to bring the benefits of peace to the regions that have suffered the most in the conflict," he added.

He also said he could offer no guarantees there would be a peace deal in place with Colombia's second-largest rebel group, the National Liberation Army (ELN), before the end of his mandate in 2018.

"I will do my best but to establish a time frame is always counter-productive in negotiations of this sort," he said.

In a speech at the ceremony, Berit Reiss-Andersen, deputy chairwoman of the Nobel committee, all sides in Colombia to "continue on the road to reconciliation."

The Nobel prize consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a check for 8 million Swedish kronor (US$871,000), a sum Santos promised to donate to the victims of the war.

In Stockholm, 1,500 guests attended the formal ceremony where the laureates in the sciences, economics and literature were honored, and where the buzz was all about Dylan's absence.

Dylan sent a thank-you speech that was read at the gala banquet at Stockholm's City Hall, attended by around 1,300 guests and the Swedish royal family.

According to the Nobel Foundation, his prize should be presented to him in person sometime in 2017, either in Sweden or abroad.
The Mission of Palestine in Colombia announces recognition of the State of Palestine as a free and sovereign state.