Colombia to cut diplomatic ties with Israel, president says

Colombia already recalled its ambassador to Israel last year.

Published: May 1, 2024 2:43pm

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Wednesday said his country will break off diplomatic ties with Israel over its war in Gaza.

Colombia already recalled its ambassador to Israel last year, around the same time that Petro, a former guerrilla fighter, accused the country of committing "genocide" in Gaza.

"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 a cheering crowd in the Colombian capital of Bogota during an International Worker's Day celebration, according to Reuters.

The decision comes as Israel faces intense scrutiny, including on U.S. college campuses, over its war in Gaza.

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