Colombian far-left president Gustavo Petro announced He announced Wednesday that he would sever diplomatic ties with Israel on Thursday, citing “genocide” in Gaza.
Colombia’s president made the announcement in a speech that was part of an official government event commemorating International Workers’ Day, or May Day, a holiday celebrating the brutal ideology of communism.
Mr. Petro is the man who almost single-handedly eroded the decades-long friendship between Colombia and Israel in the months after the October 7 Hamas atrocity. I went to the theater He repeatedly severed diplomatic relations with Israel and criticized Israel for acting in self-defense against the jihadist terrorist organization Hamas. Petro calls military operations against Hamas terrorists “genocide.”
Masked Palestinian gunmen affiliated with the militant group Hamas hold weapons during a rally (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File).
“Before your eyes, the President of the Republic, a government of change, announces that tomorrow we will sever diplomatic relations with the State of Israel because of the establishment of a genocidal government and the president we have installed!” Petro Said.
He did not say whether his accusations of “genocide” were directed at Israeli President Isaac Herzog or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In Israel, the prime minister has more power than the largely ceremonial president.
“Millions of humanity on the streets today agree with us, and we believe we agree with them,” Petro continued.
Hamas reportedly A statement issued Wednesday praised Petro’s decision, hailing it as a “victory” but urging other Latin American countries to follow suit.
“We greatly appreciate Colombian President Gustavo Petro’s position, which we consider a victory for the sacrifice and cause of our people,” Hamas said in a statement.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz responded to Petro’s announcement in statements issued in both countries. Spanish and Hebrewclaimed that Petro “kept his promise” to reward Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) sits next to Israel Katz, then Israeli Minister of Transport and Information, during the commissioning of a new high-speed train between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv near Rod Ben-Gurion International Airport on September 20. . 2018 (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images).
Katz’s message read: “Gustavo Petro has decided to side with the most vile monsters known to mankind, who have burned babies, killed children, raped women, and kidnapped innocent civilians. He will be remembered.”
“The relationship between Israel and Colombia has always been warm, and a hateful, anti-Semitic president will not be able to change that,” he continued. “The State of Israel will continue to fearlessly and fearlessly protect its people.”
On October 7, in the aftermath of Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel that left more than 1,200 people dead and hundreds taken hostage, Petro, a former member of the Marxist guerrilla M19, simply failed to condemn Hamas. Instead, he launched a fierce campaign against Israel. His insults toward Jerusalem significantly soured the historic friendship between Colombia and Israel, first established in 1957.
Petro said in a series of posts published on his Twitter account shortly after the self-defense operation began: compared He condemned Israel’s actions against Nazi Germany and accused Israel of turning Gaza into concentration camps such as Auschwitz.
The entrance to the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau with the inscription “Arbeit macht frei” (“Work makes you free”). Photographed in Oświecim, Poland, on January 25, 2015, a few days before the 70th anniversary of liberation. Russian military camp (JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images).
“If I had lived in Germany in 1933, I would have fought on the side of the Jews; if I had lived in Palestine in 1948, I would have fought on the Palestinian side,” Petro wrote at the time. “Now neo-Nazis want the destruction of the Palestinian people, freedom, and culture. Now Democrats and progressives want peace and freedom for the Israeli and Palestinian people.”
Israel responded to Peter’s anti-Semitic comparison as follows: issue The suspension of security exports to Colombia was crucial in Colombia’s decades-long battle with the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) terrorist organization, as well as other guerrilla groups such as M19.
Petro responded to the suspension of security exports with its first policy. threat Force Colombia to sever ties with Israel. In March he again blackmailed At the time, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) passed a non-binding resolution calling for an immediate end to operations against Hamas, severing ties with Israel if it did not comply.
In March, Petro publicly announced claimed He said some M19 members had trained with pro-Palestinian militias in Libya and that both groups had “the same roots”.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks to a crowd on International Labor Day in Bogotá, Colombia, May 1, 2024 (Juancho Torres/Anadolu, via Getty Images).
“Why did we go under the stars to play guitar? Next to the Polisario Front, I recognized it,” he continued. “Arabs are fighting for their country, for their homeland, against injustice. Look at what is happening today in Palestine. A homeland taken from them.”
Petro also claimed that M19 fought against the Palestine Liberation Organization and other groups at the time.
“We also want to have a homeland. That’s why, unbeknownst to us, M-19s were in the Sahara desert, rubbing shoulders with the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Polisario Front, and SWAPO,” he said. insisted. The same goes for the African National Congress, which was Nelson Mandela’s guerrilla group. M19 fought with Nelson Mandela for freedom. ”
At the time of writing, it is still unclear what will happen to the free trade agreement between Colombia and Israel that took effect in 2020. I allow it In addition to further exports to Israel, Colombia will be able to easily export fuel, mineral oil, coffee, tea, spices, electrical equipment and image recording equipment.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
