After suffering a series of diplomatic defeats to the Palestinians in Latin America, Israel won a rare victory on Wednesday when Colombia announced that it would not unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón told a delegation of the World Jewish Congress in a meeting in the Colombian capital of Bogota that his government would not recognize Palestinian statehood as “a matter of principle.”

“We value your friendship and courage for Israel and the Jewish people,” World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder said. “We also appreciate that you have withstood pressure from fellow Latin American leaders to prematurely recognize a Palestinian state.”

In the past half year a string of Latin American countries, mostly with left-leaning governments, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Guyana have recognized Palestinian statehood. Chile, which has a right-leaning government, has also recognized Palestinian statehood with caveats.

The announcement in Bogota represents an unusual diplomatic victory for Israel in a region where the Middle-Eastern conflict is often seen through the prism of local politics, with rightwing politicians siding with Israel which is often perceived as an extension of the U.S., and leftwing politicians supporting the antagonist Palestinians.

The right-leaning government of Colombia is considered to be a staunch supporter of the U.S. in the region and has close ties with Israel.

Latin American Jewish Congress President Jack Terpins thanked Bogotá for fighting the growing influence of the Iran, which is a close friend of Colombia’s neighbor and occasional rival Venezuela.

“In Colombia, you know what horrible suffering terrorism inflicts on people,” Terpins said. “After the two deadly bomb attacks against the AMIA Center and the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in the 1990s that were orchestrated by Iran we Jews know that extremists must be vigorously opposed. We hope that a consensus can be reached among political leaders here that currently, Tehran cannot be a partner for closer political or economic cooperation in any shape or form.”

The World Jewish Congress is a group representing Jewish communities in 92 countries around the world which serves as the diplomatic arm of the Jewish people to governments, parliaments and international organizations.
After suffering a series of diplomatic defeats to the Palestinians in Latin America, Israel won a rare victory on Wednesday when Colombia announced that it would not unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state.