"It is a slap in the face of a loyal ally that contradicts the quality of relations and the proximity of our countries and their leaders," the Embassy said in a statement on Twitter.
The decision was made by Juan Manuel Santos in the last days of his presidency and released Wednesday. New Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes promised it would be reviewed. The Israeli diplomatic mission said it was surprised and disappointed by Santos’s move and asked new Colombian authorities to reverse it.
READ MORE: Number of Palestinians Injured in Clashes on Gaza Border Rises to 220 — Official
19 July 2018, 18:57 GMT
Palestine has been recognized as a sovereign state by almost 140 countries, however, Israel refuses to recognize it as an independent political entity, as both have claimed their rights on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
Santos was president between 2010 and 2018. He was succeeded by Ivan Duque on Tuesday.
