The Colombian government announced that it would be the second South American country to sever diplomatic ties with Israel since the Gaza Strip incident in Palestine last October. They accused Israel of committing mass murder in the Gaza Strip. Israel retaliated by condemning Colombia for siding with the “despicable monster.”
According to the New York Times, on May Day (Public Holiday), Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced in Bolivar Square, Bogota, that they would officially sever diplomatic relations with Israel starting from the 2nd. He stated, “We cannot stand by and watch the extermination of a group in an era of mass murder,” and argued, “If the people of Palestine die, so does humanity.”
With Colombia’s decision, the number of countries that have cut ties with Israel since last October’s conflict between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip has risen to two, following Bolivia. Belize in Central America also severed ties with Israel.
Petro, an economist once a member of the left-wing guerrilla group M-19, has served as the mayor of Bogotá and a senator. He won the June 2022 presidential election with promises of free college education and higher tax rates for the wealthy, marking his place in history as the first left-wing president of Colombia.
After Israel retaliated against Hamas’ attack in October last year, Petro criticized Israel by comparing it to Nazi Germany during World War II. He also protested by expelling the Israeli ambassador. In February, Petro mentioned the Holocaust, the mass murder of Jews by Nazi Germany, while discussing an incident where Palestinian residents waiting for food distribution in the Gaza Strip were killed by Israeli gunfire. He wrote on social media on March 1st, “More than 100 Palestinian residents who were trying to get food were killed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.” He claimed that the incident was similar to the Holocaust and announced that he would stop purchasing Israeli weapons. Petro also warned in March that he would cut ties if Israel did not comply with the UN Security Council’s ceasefire resolution in the Gaza Strip.
On March 26th, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized Petro and Hamas. Israel wrote, “Petro’s defense of Hamas murderers who commit horrific sex crimes against children, women, and adults and carry out massacres is a disgrace to the people of Colombia.” On the 2nd, he posted, “History will remember that Petro stood with the most despicable monster in human history, who burned babies, killed children, raped women, and kidnapped innocent civilians,” on social media and claimed, “Israel will continue to protect our people without fear.”
