Bogota: In the midst of escalating tensions amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has declared his country’s decision to terminate diplomatic ties with Israel, denouncing Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocidal”.
President Petro made this announcement while addressing a May Day rally in Bogotá on Wednesday.
“Tomorrow, diplomatic relations with the State of Israel will be severed… for having a genocidal president,” Petro declared to the assembled crowd. However, it remains unclear whether he was specifically referring to Israeli President Isaac Herzog or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In response, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, criticized President Petro, accusing him of being “antisemitic and filled with hatred”.
Taking to social media platform X, Katz condemned Petro’s stance, accusing him of aligning with “despicable monsters”.
“The president of Colombia promised to reward Hamas murderers and rapists – and today he kept his promise. History will remember that Gustavo Petro @petrogustavo decided to side with the most despicable monsters known to humanity who burned babies, murdered children, raped women and kidnapped innocent civilians,” Katz asserted on X.
“Relations between Israel and Colombia have always been warm – and no hate-filled, anti-Semitic president can change that. The State of Israel will continue to protect its citizens fearlessly and fearlessly,” Katz emphasized.
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Gustavo Petro’s Stance on the Israel-Hamas Conflict
President Petro has been vocal in his criticism of Israel throughout the duration of the Israel-Hamas conflict, drawing parallels to Nazi Germany just three days after hostilities commenced.
The conflict erupted following a surprise attack by Hamas militants in Southern Israel on October 7.
Petro’s announcement regarding the severance of diplomatic ties has the potential to mark the end of a seven-decade-long relationship between Colombia and Israel. Historically, Colombia has been regarded as Israel’s “closest ally” in Latin America.
This relationship was underscored by Israel’s significant arms sales to Bogotá, establishing Israel as a key supplier of military equipment to Colombia.
However, this alliance was strained when Petro accused Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant of using rhetoric reminiscent of Nazi propaganda in reference to Gazans. Subsequently, Israel suspended security exports to Colombia, prompting Bogotá to expel Israel’s diplomatic envoy.
Petro, the first leftist president of Colombia, has aligned himself with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocidal”.
