19 Arab and Islamic Nations Issue Joint Diplomatic Condemnation Over Colombia’s Jerusalem Embassy Move
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The Arab Post
- . October 16, 2026
- . Update: October 16, 2026 8:55 pm
The foreign ministers of 19 Arab and Islamic countries made a joint diplomatic statement on Friday strongly denouncing Colombia’s Jerusalem embassy move Wednesday’s inauguration of the diplomatic mission was called “null and void” by the coalition, which cautioned that the move breaches U.N. Security Council resolutions and threatens to erode the chances for a permanent peace in the region.
On Friday, October 16, 2026, a group of 19 Arab and Islamic countries joined forces to protest in a coordinated diplomatic effort against Colombia’s plan to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem.19 Arab and Islamic countries on Friday, October 16, 2026, coordinated their diplomatic protest against Colombia’s decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem. The bloc, which was represented by the foreign ministries of its member countries in a joint statement, said that any unilateral move to change the legal or historical status of occupied Jerusalem is “without legal effect.
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Türkiye, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Algeria, Indonesia, Malaysia, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and Djibouti signed the joint declaration, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted them as saying.
The formal request of the ministers was to rethink and reconsider immediately the duty of Bogotá to respect its obligations under international law.
Why Colombia’s Jerusalem Embassy Move Sparked Global Backlash
The conflict has to do with basic international rules of the game in the Israeli-Palestinian issue. The 19 foreign ministers called on the relocation of diplomatic missions to the disputed city to be contrary to UN Security Council Resolutions 476 and 478, the Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported.
UN Security Council Resolutions 476 and 478, adopted in 1980, unequivocally prohibit any actions which change the character or status of Jerusalem, which is part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967. The demands make it clear that the UN member countries are to be ordered to pull their diplomatic missions from the city.
The ministers expressed in the Egyptian Gazette their concern that Bogotá’s actions inflict a serious harm on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The bloc restated the need for a ‘two-state solution’ of an independent, sovereign state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital to achieve a just and lasting peace.
Colombia Opens Embassy in Jerusalem as Israel Hails Diplomatic Shift
Bogotá’s Foreign Policy Pivot Under President de la Espriella
The concerted condemnation comes after the official ribbon-cutting ceremony in Jerusalem on Wednesday, October 14. The facility was opened by Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula Escobar, as well as Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, thus marking the 10th country to open an embassy in the city.
The opening is to fulfill an election promise made by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella who was elected in August of 2026. His government has been fast to undo the actions of the previous administration of former president Gustavo Petro, who in 2024 broke relations with Israel due to its actions in the war in Gaza.
On October 13, along with the opening of Colombia’s embassy in Israel and the reactivation of a bilateral free trade agreement, Bula Escobar announced Colombia’s withdrawal from the Hague Group, a group of countries that are taking legal and diplomatic action against Israel.
Diplomatic Implications Moving Forward
Most countries have embassies in Tel Aviv, and demand that the status of Jerusalem be decided “bilaterally,” as Anadolu Agency and Al Arabiya English report.
The 19 Arab and Islamic nations have issued a unified front to indicate that the Colombia’s Jerusalem embassy move could mar its overall relations with the region, in Southeast Asia, North Africa and the Middle East, including with Colombia’s key ally, Turkey. The Colombian government’s response to calls for action and respecting the status quo in East Jerusalem will affect its diplomatic relations with the Arab and Islamic world.
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