19 countries condemn Colombia’s opening of embassy in Jerusalem

The foreign ministers of Turkiye and 18 other countries on Friday strongly condemned Colombia’s inauguration of its embassy in Jerusalem, Anadolu reports.

In a joint statement released by Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry, the ministers expressed their “unequivocal rejection” of the decision.

They said the move violates relevant UN Security Council resolutions and undermines international efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution.

The statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Algeria, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The ministers reaffirmed that any measure or decision intended to alter the legal or historical status of occupied Jerusalem, or to recognize the city as Israel’s capital, “is null and void and has no legal effect.”

READ: Palestine says Colombia’s opening of embassy in West Jerusalem violates international law

They cited UN Security Council Resolutions 476 and 478, both adopted in 1980, which reject attempts to change Jerusalem’s character or status and call on states to withdraw their diplomatic missions from the city.

The statement described Jerusalem as part of the Palestinian territory occupied in 1967.

The ministers called on the Colombian government to reconsider and reverse its decision, uphold its obligations under international law, and refrain from measures that prejudice the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

They also reiterated their support for the Palestinian people’s right to an independent and sovereign state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

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