Israel slams Colombian president as a ‘disgrace’ after he threatens to cut off ties
Pro-Palestinian leader Gustavo Petro says measure will be taken if Israel doesn’t implement UN Security Council ceasefire demand; FM says Israel won’t give into threats
Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Tuesday threatened to break off diplomatic ties with Israel if the country doesn’t comply with a United Nations Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Petro made the announcement on X, formerly known as Twitter. On Monday, he published another message in which he celebrated the resolution’s approval and urged other nations to suspend ties with Israel if it doesn’t cease its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz blasted Gustavo’s call to cut ties, writing on X that Gustavo’s support for “the Hamas murderers who carried out terrible acts of slaughter and sexual crimes against babies, women and adults is a disgrace to the Colombian people.”
“Israel will continue to defend its citizens and will not give in to any pressure or threats,” he declared.
The confrontation on X signals a growing deterioration in the relations between both nations, which have gone from being military and commercial partners to becoming bitter ideological rivals.
For decades, Colombia used Israeli-built warplanes and machine guns to fight drug cartels and rebel groups, and both countries signed a free trade agreement in 2020.
Si Israel no cumple la resolución de Naciones Unidas de Cese al Fuego rompemos relaciones diplomáticas con Israel.
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) March 26, 2024
But relations began to cool in 2022 when Petro was elected to office.
Petro, a leftist and longtime supporter of the Palestinian cause, has described Israel’s military offensive in Gaza as “genocide.” In February, he suspended military purchases from Israel, after dozens of Palestinians were killed in a stampede surrounding an an aid convoy.
Israel launched its war against Hamas in Gaza following the terror group’s devastating onslaught against southern Israel, which killed close to 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The terrorists also abducted 253 people who were taken as hostages in Gaza, over half of whom remain captive. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 32,000 people have been killed in Gaza, an unverified figure which is believed to include more than 13,000 Hamas operatives.
El apoyo del presidente de Colombia @petrogustavo a los asesinos de Hamás que masacraron y cometieron atroces crímenes sexuales contra bebés, mujeres y adultos es una vergüenza para el pueblo colombiano.
Israel seguirá protegiendo a sus ciudadanos y no cederá a ninguna presión ni…— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) March 26, 2024
Israel’s Foreign Ministry suspended defense cooperation with Colombia in October, after Petro failed to condemn the deadly Hamas rampage through communities in southern Israel, and instead compared the IDF to Nazi troops.
Military analysts in Colombia have said that the deterioration of relations with Israel jeopardizes the South American nation’s defense capabilities.
Colombia depends on Israeli companies for the maintenance of its fleet of more than 20 Israeli-built Kfir jets, which are the only planes in Colombia’s arsenal that are capable of launching laser-guided bombs.
Colombia has also signed multiple contracts with Israel for the provision of military communications equipment and produces assault rifles for its troops under a license from an Israeli manufacturer.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
