Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro has ordered the opening of an embassy in the Palestinian city of Ramallah, Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo told journalists.

At the beginning of this month, Petro, who has criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and requested to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice, said he would cut diplomatic relations with Israel over its war in Gaza.

“President Petro has given the order that we open the Colombian embassy in Ramallah, the representation of Colombia in Ramallah, that is the next step we are going to take,” Murillo said on Wednesday.

Ramallah serves as the administrative capital of the Palestinian state.