Colombia's outgoing government made a last-minute decision to recognize Palestinian statehood last week, new Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes said Wednesday.
Holmes said the departing government of President Juan Manuel Santos made the decision shortly before leaving office last week. It was detailed in an Aug. 3 letter to the Palestinian representative in Colombia, the foreign ministry said.
New President Ivan Duque was informed of Santos' decision after being sworn into office Tuesday.
Duque's government said it would review the implications of Santos' decision, but acknowledged that it was legal.
"Given possible omissions that could come to light about the way in which this decision was taken by the outgoing president, the government will cautiously examine its implications and will act according to international law," Holmes said in a statement.
The United States does not recognize a Palestinian state, and Colombia long refrained from doing so due to its close ties with Washington. But in recent years, Colombia has sought to chart a more independent foreign policy, including calling for changes to U.S.-backed anti-narcotics policies.
Santos decided to recognize Palestine as a "free, independent and sovereign state," according to the letter, which was circulated to reporters by the foreign ministry.
"Just as the Palestinian people have a right to constitute an independent state, Israel has a right to live in peace alongside its neighbors," the letter said.
The Israeli Embassy in Bogota said it was surprised and disappointed by the decision.
"We ask the Colombian government to reverse the decision made by the previous administration in its last days, which contravenes the close relations, extensive cooperation in vital areas and interests of both countries," the embassy said in a statement posted to its Twitter account.
The decision came to light during a visit to Colombia by U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley. She attended Duque's inauguration on Tuesday and on Wednesday visited Venezuelan asylum-seekers in the northern border city of Cucuta.
The United States, a close ally of Israel, had no immediate comment and was gathering more information about the situation, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said.
"We thank the Colombian government for this decision and we are sure that it will contribute significantly to generating the necessary conditions in the search for peace in the Middle East," the Palestine representative said in a statement on Wednesday.
The U.N. General Assembly, the International Criminal Court, and at least 136 countries have recognized Palestine as a state.
In December, Colombia abstained from a U.N. General Assembly vote on a resolution calling for the United States to drop its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to cut off financial aid to countries that voted in favor.
