President Gustavo Petro announced on Wednesday that Colombia would terminate diplomatic relations with Israel, citing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as “genocidal” in the conflict in Gaza.
Petro declared, “At tomorrow’s May Day rally in Bogota, diplomatic ties with the state of Israel will be cut off… due to the leadership of a genocidal president.” He has consistently condemned the Gaza offensive that ensued following a significant Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, resulting in a reported 1,170 casualties, predominantly civilians, according to Israeli sources.
During the conflict, Hamas militants also seized approximately 250 hostages, with 129 individuals, including 34 presumed dead by Israel, still held in Gaza.
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The retaliatory measures from Israel have reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 34,568 individuals in Gaza, with a majority being women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled region.
On Wednesday, May 1 Petro told thousands of supporters that the world cannot accept “genocide, the extermination of an entire people,” adding, “If Palestine dies, humanity dies,” while getting a loud applause from the crowd, some of whom flew pro-Palestinian banners.
Foreign Minister Israel Katz denounced Petro’s actions, labelling him as “anti-Semitic and hateful,” and asserted that his stance effectively rewarded Hamas.
Katz stated, “The Colombian president has pledged to reward Hamas murderers and rapists—and today he followed through.” He further emphasized, “History will record Gustavo Petro’s decision to align with some of humanity’s most heinous perpetrators, who committed atrocities including burning infants, killing children, assaulting women, and abducting innocent civilians.”
