Damascus condemns Colombia's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan

Damascus, AFP: Syria condemned yesterday the decision of the newly formed hardline right-wing Colombian government to recognize what it describes as Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, calling it a “blatant violation” of the United Nations Charter. Israel has occupied parts of the Golan Heights since the 1967 war and annexed them in 1981, a move not recognized by the international community except by the United States.

In a statement, the Syrian Foreign Ministry denounced Colombia’s decision, expressing its “firm rejection and condemnation of this stance” following the Colombian Foreign Ministry’s announcement on the X platform recognizing “Israeli sovereignty over these territories, as well as that state’s right to protect itself from external threats.”

The Syrian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed that “the Golan is an inseparable part of its territory,” adding that the Colombian government’s statement “constitutes a blatant violation of the UN Charter.” Syria also condemned the ongoing “Israeli aggression and incursions into Syrian territory.”

Colombian President Abigail de la Espriella assumed office on Friday following a raucous election campaign in which he pledged to build close ties with the United States and Israel as a means of combating armed groups in his country. The Colombian Foreign Ministry announced its recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan on the same day a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia, killing at least 169 people and injuring dozens.