President Juan Manuel Santos said Thursday he spoke with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu regarding a possible role for Colombia as a mediator for peace in the Middle East.
Santos announced via his Twitter page, “I have spoken with the prime minister and minister of defense of Israel. The work for peace in the middle east continues.”
Santos announced Wednesday that he would be speaking with the Israeli head of state following a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in regards to the Palestinians’ bid to be recognized as a state by the United Nations.
According to Spanish press agency EFE, the Colombian President spoke by telephone with the two senior officials in regards to the possibilities for peaceful co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians.
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.
According to Colombia, this state must be the product of dialogue and negotiation between the two countries.