Colombia Seeks to Leave ICC Group, Opens Embassy in Jerusalem

Colombia's Foreign Minister, Omar Bula, announced Wednesday that his country has officially requested to withdraw from the "Hague Group," an assembly of nations that pursues legal actions against Israel and is associated with the International Criminal Court. The announcement was made during a reception in Jerusalem hosted by the Israeli Foreign Ministry to mark the opening of Colombia's embassy in the capital. The event was attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar.

Minister Bula strongly criticized the group's actions, stating, "Today Colombia officially requested to withdraw from the Hague Group, a group created to isolate and attack Israel. We reject this approach." He also criticized the previous Colombian government's stance on terrorism and antisemitism, asserting that it failed to condemn terrorism clearly and allowed what he described as "the most violent wave of antisemitism in Colombia's history in recent years."

Bula emphasized the current government's commitment to combating antisemitism, declaring, "The administration of President De la Espriella, this Foreign Ministry, and this Foreign Minister will not remain silent. We will not allow this plague to spread throughout the country without a response and without confrontation. We will not permit it."

The withdrawal request coincided with the inauguration of Colombia's embassy in Jerusalem, designated as the tenth embassy in the city by the Foreign Ministry. The ceremony, attended by the foreign ministers of both nations, signifies a strengthening of diplomatic ties. These developments occur amidst heightened international political tension surrounding Israel and efforts to exert legal and diplomatic pressure. However, the request to leave the Hague Group and the embassy opening are separate actions, and details regarding the effective date of the withdrawal have not yet been released.