President Gustavo Petro of Colombia has responded to Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz’s criticism of his decision to sever diplomatic ties with Israel. Katz accused Petro of siding with “despicable monsters” and supporting Hamas, an organization that has been accused of heinous acts. However, Petro countered by arguing that the real monster is the genocide being perpetrated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Gaza Strip.
Petro had announced that Colombia would cut ties with Israel after the Israeli Army’s offensive in the Gaza Strip, which led to the deaths of over 34,500 Palestinians. Katz criticized Petro for supporting “monsters,” but Petro had already threatened to cut ties if Israel did not comply with a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire.
Since last October, when an outbreak of violence left 1,200 people dead and 240 hostages, President Petro has been actively advocating for peace and dialogue between Israel and Palestine. He proposed a peace commission to facilitate discussions and work towards the release of kidnapped individuals in Gaza. Despite facing criticism and debates, Petro remains committed to finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing hostilities in the region.
