Beelzebub
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- May 6, 2014
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Israel denied this week a request by Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin to visit Ramallah.
According to a statement by the Finance Ministry in Bogota, Israel would only permit Holguin to visit Ramallah if she agreed to visit Jerusalem on the same visit to the region. A senior official in the Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the matter, stating that the directive was ordered by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
It is highly unusual for the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to give such a directive, and it appears that the move was made in an effort to harden its policy with regards to visits by foreign ministers to the Palestinian Authority, which are normally carried out without any difficulty.
Differences of opinion over Holguin's visit to Ramallah led to a diplomatic incident that caused tensions between Israel and Colombia, which is considered a central Israeli ally in Latin America. Colombia is one of the last two countries in Latin America that has not recognized Palestine as a state. The second country is Panama, another of Israel's allies. Israel and Colombia have ties in economic, diplomatic and security areas.
The saga began on November 3, when Colombia's ambassador to Israel, Fernando Alzate Donoso, requested of the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to arrange entry for Holguin from Jordan to Ramallah via Israel. The Colombian ambassador stipulated that Holguin is interested in meeting with her Palestinian counterpart, Riyad al Maliki, and possibly Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, too.
In rare move Israel denies Colombian minister entry to Ramallah - Diplomacy and Defense Israel News Haaretz
Two odd things to this.
1) Israel is clearly worried at being left out and sidelined by foreign dignitaries, who may just want to talk routinely with Palestinian diplomats and officials. Or maybe Israel has admitted to itself that these visits are staging points to full recognition and support for Palestine.
2) Colombia is listed as Israel's FRIEND in Latin America. Is this any way to treat a friend?
Admittedly it could be worse. Israel has not launched a 3 hour attack on any Colombian Navy vessels, as far as I am aware. If Colombia was considering being less friendly then this could be an impetus to shift policy.
According to a statement by the Finance Ministry in Bogota, Israel would only permit Holguin to visit Ramallah if she agreed to visit Jerusalem on the same visit to the region. A senior official in the Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed the matter, stating that the directive was ordered by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
It is highly unusual for the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to give such a directive, and it appears that the move was made in an effort to harden its policy with regards to visits by foreign ministers to the Palestinian Authority, which are normally carried out without any difficulty.
Differences of opinion over Holguin's visit to Ramallah led to a diplomatic incident that caused tensions between Israel and Colombia, which is considered a central Israeli ally in Latin America. Colombia is one of the last two countries in Latin America that has not recognized Palestine as a state. The second country is Panama, another of Israel's allies. Israel and Colombia have ties in economic, diplomatic and security areas.
The saga began on November 3, when Colombia's ambassador to Israel, Fernando Alzate Donoso, requested of the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem to arrange entry for Holguin from Jordan to Ramallah via Israel. The Colombian ambassador stipulated that Holguin is interested in meeting with her Palestinian counterpart, Riyad al Maliki, and possibly Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, too.
In rare move Israel denies Colombian minister entry to Ramallah - Diplomacy and Defense Israel News Haaretz
Two odd things to this.
1) Israel is clearly worried at being left out and sidelined by foreign dignitaries, who may just want to talk routinely with Palestinian diplomats and officials. Or maybe Israel has admitted to itself that these visits are staging points to full recognition and support for Palestine.
2) Colombia is listed as Israel's FRIEND in Latin America. Is this any way to treat a friend?
Admittedly it could be worse. Israel has not launched a 3 hour attack on any Colombian Navy vessels, as far as I am aware. If Colombia was considering being less friendly then this could be an impetus to shift policy.
