The Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Israel Katz, has launched harsh accusations against the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, accusing him of supporting Hamas, which he has described as a “shame for the Colombian people.”
In a message broadcast on the social network
These statements come after Petro’s threats to break diplomatic relations with the State of Israel if it does not comply with the ceasefire resolution recently approved by the UN Security Council.
The resolution, which was approved with the abstention of the United States, has generated the indignation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has canceled the sending of a team of officials to Washington and has withdrawn his negotiators from Doha, Qatar.
“If Israel does not comply with the United Nations ceasefire resolution, we will break diplomatic relations with Israel,” declared the Colombian president through his account on X, being one of the leaders most critical of the Israeli Government and defender of the Palestinian cause.
These tensions between both countries are not new, since in October of last year Petro had already threatened to suspend relations with Israel, although so far these warnings have not materialized.
These episodes have increased tension between Israel and Colombia, even leading to the withdrawal of diplomatic representatives by both countries and generating various disagreements due to the position of the Colombian president, who has accused the Israeli State of committing “genocide.”
If we have to suspend foreign relations with Israel, we suspend them. We do not support genocides.
The president of Colombia is not insulted.
I call on Latin America to show real solidarity with Colombia. And if he is not capable, it will be the development of history that will say the last…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 15, 2023
Israel’s claim to Petro
Gali Dagan, Israeli ambassador to Colombia, expressed in his X account the Israeli government’s condemnation of Gustavo Petro’s statements, which he considers fuel anti-Semitism and put the Jewish community at risk. As an initial warning measure, he announced that Israel has suspended exports of security equipment to Colombia.
In addition, it was reported that, following the order of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Eli Cohen, the Colombian ambassador to Israeli territory, Margarita Manjarrez, was summoned to a “reprimand conversation” due to the “hostile and anti-Semitic statements” of Gustavo Petro since the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7. During the meeting, as expressed by Dagan, the ambassador was reminded of the tragic death toll as a result of the terrorist attack.