EGN NEWS DESK
Colombia will sever diplomatic ties with Israel over its prosecution of the struggle in Gaza, President Gustavo Petro introduced in Bogotá on Wednesday, describing the Israeli authorities as “genocidal.”
His announcement got here in a speech in Colombia’s capital metropolis in entrance of cheering crowds that had gathered for International Workers’ Day.
“The occasions of genocide, of the extermination of a whole individuals can not come earlier than our eyes, earlier than our passivity,” Mr. Petro mentioned. “If Palestine dies, humanity dies.”
Colombia is the second South American nation to interrupt off relations with Israel after Bolivia, which minimize ties in November over its strikes in Gaza. On the day that Bolivia made its announcement, Colombia and Chile each mentioned that they had been recalling their ambassadors to Israel, and Honduras adopted go well with inside days. Belize additionally minimize diplomatic ties with Israel that month.
The Israeli authorities denounced Mr. Petro’s transfer on Wednesday.
“History will keep in mind that Gustavo Petro selected to face along with probably the most abominable monsters recognized to man, who burned infants, killed kids, raped lady and kidnapped harmless civilians,” Israel’s international minister, Israel Katz, wrote on X. “Israel and Colombia all the time loved heat ties. Even an antisemitic and hateful president is not going to change that.’’
Mr. Petro, Colombia’s first leftist chief and a critic of U.S. drug coverage towards his nation, had threatened to cut ties with Israel in March if it didn’t adjust to a U.N. Security Council decision calling for a right away cease-fire in Gaza. And he referred to as on different nations to do the identical. In response to that menace, Mr. Katz wrote on X that Mr. Petro’s “assist for Hamas murderers” who carried out massacres and dedicated intercourse crimes in opposition to Israelis was shameful.
“Israel will proceed to guard its residents and won’t yield to any stress or threats,” he added.
In February Mr. Petro suspended Colombia’s buy of Israeli weapons in February after Israeli forces opened fireplace whereas a crowd was gathered close to a convoy of vehicles carrying desperately wanted help to Gaza City, a part of a chaotic scene during which scores of individuals had been killed and injured, based on Gazan well being officers and the Israeli army.
“Asking for meals, greater than 100 Palestinians had been killed by Netanyahu,” Mr. Petro wrote on X on the time, evaluating the occasions to the Holocaust “even when the world powers don’t prefer to acknowledge it.”
“The world should block Netanyahu,” he added.
