Petro announces that Colombia will break diplomatic relations with Israel

The Israeli Foreign Minister affirms that Petro will be remembered in history "for siding with the most despicable monsters"

MADRID, 1 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has announced that the country will break diplomatic relations with Israel starting Thursday in retaliation for the Israeli Army's offensive against the Gaza Strip, where more than 34,500 Palestinians have already died.

"The President of the Republic informs that tomorrow diplomatic relations with the State of Israel will be broken for having a Government, for having a genocidal president (in reference to the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu)," he assured this Wednesday within the framework of a rally held in the Plaza de Bolívar, in Bogotá, on the occasion of Workers' Day.

Petro has highlighted that "if Palestine dies, humanity dies." "Today, all of humanity, in the streets, by the millions, agrees with us," he highlighted, adding that "the times of genocide" cannot return, according to the Colombian Presidency.

Shortly after, Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, stressed on the social network known for "burning babies, murdering children, raping women and kidnapping innocent civilians."

"Relations between Israel and Colombia have always been warm; not even an anti-Semitic and hateful president will be able to change that. The State of Israel will continue to protect its citizens without fear," he stated.

The Colombian president already threatened to sever diplomatic ties if Israel did not comply with the resolution approved by the UN Security Council that called for an "immediate" ceasefire during the month of Ramadan. The United States, which exercised its right of veto on up to three occasions, gave the text the 'green light' on March 25.

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz then accused Petro of colluding with "the murderers" of Hamas - which controls Gaza - and their "crimes", assuring that such "support" is a "shame for the Colombian people".

Petro has been very active since last October 7, when Palestinian militias attacked Israel, resulting in 1,200 deaths and 240 hostages. In fact, in January the Colombian president proposed a peace commission to move towards a cessation of hostilities and start new talks for the release of the kidnapped people who remain in Gaza.