Colombia's far-right government waives visas for Israel

Colombia's far-right government waives visas for Israel Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Thu, 08/20/2026 - 12:43 Visa-free travel is the latest move in Colombia’s sweeping realignment towards Israel under its far-right president Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Mark Wilson, Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images) Off Colombia and Israel will abolish visa requirements for each other’s citizens from 1 September, in the latest pro-Israel shift by Bogota’s new far-right government. Israel’s foreign ministry announced the decision on Thursday following talks between Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and his Colombian counterpart, Omar Bula Escobar. The agreement opens Colombia more widely to Israeli visitors at a time when Israeli tourists, including many serving soldiers, face growing backlash abroad over Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its apartheid system in the occupied West Bank.