Israel sends aid to Colombia

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an aid delegation would be immediately dispatched to Colombia, according to a statement from the Government Press Office on Wednesday evening. The statement followed a request from Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who asked Netanyahu to send a delegation after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the country on Monday.

The earthquake, which occurred in the heart of Colombia's coffee region, has killed at least 250 people, as reported by the Jerusalem Post. It reduced multi-story buildings to rubble in cities such as Pereira and Cali, and caused one of the towers of a historic cathedral in Manizales to crack apart.

Emergency teams aided by police, soldiers, and volunteers have been working with excavators and, at times, their bare hands, hunting for survivors beneath debris.

Strengthening ties

The aid delegation comes amid efforts to improve relations between Israel and Colombia, part of Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's broader initiative to strengthen ties with South American countries. The Foreign Ministry has designated 2026 as the "Year of Latin America."

In a related development, Colombia recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights in a statement released by the country's Foreign Ministry on Monday. The statement, published on X/Twitter, recognized Israeli control over the area as "an essential component of its national defense and its ability to protect and safeguard its citizens." The recognition resulted from a commitment made by both countries on Saturday, according to the Jerusalem Post.