Colombia Breaks Diplomatic Relations with Israel

During an intervention in Bogota’s Plaza de Bolivar, the President of Colombia stated that he will sever diplomatic relations with Israel for having a “genocidal president”. The announcement came amidst marches in support of Gustavo Petro’s government.

On Wednesday, May 1, International Workers’ Day, the president announced that starting Thursday, April 2, diplomatic relations with Israel would be severed. According to the Colombian president, humanity cannot return to the era of genocide and extermination. Additionally, he asserted that if “Palestine dies, humanity dies,” maintaining his rejection of the acts committed by the Israeli government.

The statements by President Petro come amid recent disagreements between Colombia and Israel due to the conflict in the Middle East, involving Palestine and the Islamist movement ‘Hamas’ in Gaza.

Colombia-Israel diplomatic disputes

Relations between Colombia and Israel began almost 70 years ago, but since the start of the war in the Middle East, the president has questioned Israel’s actions in Gaza and has repeatedly threatened to sever ties with the Israeli government.

In February of this year, the Petro Government decided to suspend arms purchases from Israel after Palestinians accused Israeli soldiers of shooting citizens seeking food in Gaza. The Colombian president compared this behavior to the actions of Nazi Germany.

Israel is one of the main security allies of the nation. In fact, Colombia’s military uses Israeli-made Galil rifles, caliber 5.56 millimeters, which have been produced in Colombia since the mid-2002s.

Colombian trade relations with Israel

According to figures provided by DANE, in January, Colombia imported US$351,000 in weapons and ammunition from Israel. Imports from this country totaled US$6 million during the first month of 2024, while the total for 2023 was US$90.3 million. Referring to exports, Israel represents 0.7% of Colombia’s external sales in January of this year, in which US$27 million was exported to that country.

During his speech, Petro explained that Netanyahu is violating the rules set forth in the 1948 Convention for the Prevention of Genocide. In April, Colombia asked the ICJ to intervene in the lawsuit but has not received a response so far.