The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Egypt has summoned this Friday the chargé d'affaires of Colombia in the country, Carlos Colmenares Castro, to express its rejection of the recent inauguration of the Colombian Embassy to Israel in Jerusalem.
According to government sources indicated to the MENA news agency, the Ministry conveyed to the Colombian diplomatic representative its "strong protest" and "categorical rejection" regarding the opening of the Colombian legation, held this Thursday in the city.
For Cairo, this is "an unacceptable unilateral measure that contravenes the current legal and historical situation of the city, and constitutes a flagrant violation of the relevant resolutions of International Law." Likewise, the Egyptian authorities consider that the decision of Bogotá is "null and has no legal validity."
During the meeting, the Egyptian side emphasized that this type of "irresponsible" policies has a "negative" effect on the efforts of the international community to achieve a more stable and peaceful region.
Furthermore, Egypt has warned that these decisions can "inflame tensions" and has urged Colombia to avoid new unilateral initiatives that may "undermine" any possibility of ending the conflict and advancing towards a two-State solution.
On the same Friday, a group of 18 Arab and Muslim countries, including Egypt, has condemned the decision of the Government of Abelardo de la Espriella through a joint statement in which they reiterated that "any measure or decision aimed at altering the legal or historical status of Jerusalem, or recognizing it as the capital of Israel, is null and without legal effect."