Colombian senator given Palestinian citizenship on UN solidarity day

• Colombian Senator Clara López Obregón officially received Palestinian citizenship during a ceremony on the UN's International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
• López, who requested the citizenship following the ‘Israeli’ assault on Gaza, accepted the honor as a symbolic act of solidarity and advocacy.

Colombian Senator Clara López Obregón officially received the Palestinian citizenship during a ceremony in Bogotá on Saturday, marking a symbolic act of solidarity with the Palestinian people on the United Nations' International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (Nov. 29).

The event was attended by Palestinian Ambassador to Colombia Raouf Almalki.

López, a prominent figure in Colombia's left-leaning Pacto Histórico coalition, requested citizenship in November 2023 following the ‘Israeli’ assault on Gaza.

She described the aggression as a “genocide” rather than a war, criticizing the United Nations for insufficient intervention and emphasizing the Palestinian people's resilience against what she termed an "infame" onslaught.

Es oficial: soy ciudadana palestina.

El 29 de noviembre se conmemora el Día Internacional de la Solidaridad con el Pueblo Palestino, ese pueblo valiente que ha resistido con ferocidad el genocidio infame que le Estado de Israel ha descargado con furia sobre ellos.
Desde el 14… pic.twitter.com/lsrz9xYbDS

— Clara López Obregón (@ClaraLopezObre) November 29, 2025

During the ceremony, Ambassador Almalki presented López with her Palestinian passport, praising Colombia's historical ties with Palestine and expressing hope for strengthened bilateral relations.

López thanked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and voiced her intention to visit Palestine, committing to carry the honor with her in advocacy efforts.

López's move comes against the backdrop of Colombia's shifting foreign policy under President Gustavo Petro, who has severed ties with ‘Israel’ and recognized Palestine as a state.