President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro said he will break diplomatic ties with Israel over its assault on Gaza.
Petro has already heavily criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and requested to join South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
“Here in front of you, the government of change, of the president of the republic announces that tomorrow we will break diplomatic relations with the state of Israel … for having a government, for having a president who is genocidal,” Petro told cheering crowds, mostly workers in Bogota on International Workers’ Day.
He added that it will be wrong for countries to stay neutral in the face of humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, he added.
“If Palestine dies, humanity dies. And we are not going to let it die,” Petro stated.
In his reaction, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Petro of being “antisemitic and full of hate”.
He pointed out that Petro’s action was a reward to the armed group Hamas, which on Oct. 7 led a deadly reprisal on Israeli military bases and communities.
Bolivia severed ties with Israel at the end of October last year while several other countries in Latin America, including Honduras, Chile and Colombia have recalled their Envoys.
