Colombia will cut diplomatic relations with Israel

Colombian President Gustavo Petro said Wednesday he plans to sever diplomatic ties with Israel over the Middle Eastern country’s conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza.

Speaking at a May Day rally in Plaza de Bolívar, in central Bogotá, Petro criticized Israel for the “girls, boys, babies who died dismembered by bombs”.

“Here before you, the government of change, the president of the republic, informs you that tomorrow diplomatic relations with the State of Israel will be severed,” he said.

If Petro follows through on his threat, Colombia will join Belize and Bolivia as Western Hemisphere nations that have suspended or cut ties with Israel over the Gaza conflict.

Cuba broke ties with Israel in 1973, after siding with Egypt in the Yom Kippur War, and Venezuela cut ties in 2009 in response to the 2008-09 Israel-Hamas war over Gaza.

Petro’s threat to follow suit is a clear indicator of the change in Colombia’s international stances under his government.

Colombia’s relations with Israel were previously so close that the South American country is the largest foreign user of the Israeli-made Kfir fighter jet.

But Petro, who takes office in 2022, comes from a background of opposition to Colombia’s armed forces – as a teenager in the 1970s he joined the leftist guerrilla group M-19, a minor player in the 50-year civil war. from the country.

In March, Petro threatened to sever ties with Israel for the first time with a post on social platform X, which was met with a response from the Israeli Foreign Ministry saying Israel “will not give in to any pressures and threats,” according to a report. Associated Press report.

In his speech on Wednesday, Petro said he took the measure against Israel “for having a government, for having a president, who is genocidal”, probably referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has a president, Isaac Herzog, but the prime minister is the official responsible for most government functions, including directing military operations.

Petro’s popularity has risen in recent months, with Colombians showing more tolerance for his frequent public gaffes, such as misspelling his own country’s name as “Cokombia” in the X in a now-deleted post.

In December, Petro’s approval ratings reached a low of 26 percent, but a February poll published by the international newspaper El País showed him rising to 35 percent approval.