Colombia will break diplomatic relations with Israel for its continuation of the war in Gaza, President Gustavo Petro announced in Bogotá on Wednesday, calling the Israeli government “genocidal.”
His announcement came in a speech in Colombia’s capital in front of crowds who had gathered to celebrate International Workers’ Day.
“The times of genocide, of the extermination of an entire people cannot appear before our eyes, before our passivity,” said Petro. “If Palestine dies, humanity dies.”
Colombia is the second South American nation to break relations with Israel after Bolivia, which cut relations in November over its attacks in Gaza. The day Bolivia made its announcement, Colombia and Chile said they were going to recall their ambassadors to Israel, and Honduras did the same a few days later. Belize also cut diplomatic relations with Israel that month.
The Israeli government denounced Petro’s move on Wednesday.
“History will remember that Gustavo Petro chose to side with the most abominable monsters known to man, who burned babies, killed children, raped women and kidnapped innocent civilians,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz. wrote in X. “Israel and Colombia have always enjoyed warm ties. Not even a hateful, anti-Semitic president will change that.”
Petro, Colombia’s first leftist leader and critic of the United States’ anti-drug policy toward his country, had threatened to cut ties with Israel in March if it did not comply with a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. And he called on other countries to do the same. In response to that threat, Mr. Katz wrote in X that Petro’s “support for Hamas murderers” who carried out massacres and committed sexual crimes against Israelis was shameful.
“Israel will continue to protect its citizens and will not give in to any pressure or threat,” he added.
In February, Petro suspended Colombia’s purchase of Israeli weapons in February after Israeli forces opened fire while a crowd was gathered near a convoy of trucks carrying desperately needed aid to Gaza City, part of a scene chaos in which dozens of people were killed and injured. , according to Gaza health officials and the Israeli military.
“More than 100 Palestinians were killed by Netanyahu begging for food,” Petro said. wrote in X at the time, comparing the events to the Holocaust “even if world powers don’t like to acknowledge it.”
“The world must block Netanyahu,” he added.