Colombia’s foreign minister is currently in the Middle East to meet with the leaders of Israel and Palestine, in the hopes of facilitating communication between the two sides.
Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin was in Tel Aviv Monday to meet with Israel’s minister of defense and security advisor as part of the Colombian government’s plan to negotiate peace.
Holguin then met with the President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, in Ramallah, along with the foreign minister of Palestine and the chief negotiator of peace talks.
Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos has also been in contact via telephone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
According to Santos, these measures are intended assist in generating a direct dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, aimed at achieving the recognition of a Palestinian state.
Colombia, who is a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has so far refused to recognize a Palestinian state in line with its traditional allies the United States and Israel. President Santos has, however, expressed Colombia’s support for the peaceful creation of a Palestinian state.
According to Colombia, the state must be the product of dialogue and negotiation between the two countries.