Palestinian state: Ireland, Spain and Norway formally recognize amid Israel-Hamas war
NBCMay 22
Colombia to Open Embassy in West Bank's Ramallah
Above: President of Colombia Gustavo Petro gives a speech as part of the 2024 International Workers Day on May 1, 2024 in Bogota, Colombia. Image copyright: Diego Cuevas/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Colombia's leftist Pres. Gustavo Petro has ordered the opening of an embassy in the West Bank city of Ramallah, his foreign minister announced Wednesday.
Ramallah serves as the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank under Pres. Mahmoud Abbas — and is among the options to replace Hamas in postwar Gaza.
The Spin
Pro-Israel narrative
As Colombia has cut ties with Israel and now moves to install an embassy in the West Bank, the Latin American country is rewarding Hamas' terrorism. And while the romance between so-called progressive politicians and the terror group has been quite unusual, it's hardly a surprise that Petro has sided with terrorists as he was a guerrilla leader himself.
Pro-Palestine narrative
First and foremost, Colombia officially recognized the state of Palestine years before Petro took office. The announced plans to open an embassy in the occupied West Bank are only natural development, especially as the two-state solution remains the best way to bring about lasting peace.