365 days have passed since President Gustavo Petro, in the midst of a hundred people who snatched the Plaza de Bolívar de Bogotá, announced the suspension of diplomatic relations with the state of Israel.
The decision, announced in a context of international tensions, occurred in the midst of the conflict between the Asian nation and the Hamas terrorist group, which began since October 2023.
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“Here, in front of you, the President of the Republic informs that tomorrow (May 2, 2024) diplomatic relations with the state of Israel will be broken. Today humanity, in all the streets, agrees with us. The era of genocide cannot return, from the extermination of an entire people before our eyes, before our humanity. If Palestine dies, humanity dies and we will not let it die, ”said the national president in his speech.
The measure, which generated reactions both inside and outside the country, marked a turning point in Colombian foreign policy. For the Colombian head of state, the decision was due to the expressions of rejection of the counteroffensive made by Israel to the Gaza Strip, which has left more than 50,000 deaths, according to data cited by The spectator. While the Asian government requested that the Petro government condemn the attack of Hamas to that country, which occurred on October 7, 2023, which left more than 1,200 dead and thousands of retained, including the Colombo-Israelí Elkana Bohbot.
Even before the breaking of relationships, The Colombian Foreign Ministry, led by the then Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo, tried to clarify the situation with gradual meetings in a virtual way with representatives of the State of Israel, but finally did not achieve such advancesso Israel’s ambassador to Colombia, Gali Dagan, returned to his country; While Colombian diplomat, Margarita Manjarrés, returned to the national territory.
In economic terms, diplomatic breakup affected bilateral trade between the two countries. Before the suspension, Israel was an important partner for Colombia in sectors such as agricultural technology, cybersecurity and defense. According to data cited by The spectator, Colombian exports to Israel included products such as coffee, flowers and fruits, while imports from Israel consisted mainly of military technology and equipment.
“I think something similar is happening on this occasion: the political issue was mixed, the commercial issue was affected and we ended up damaging a commercial relationship that had been working,” said Javier Díaz, director of the National Foreign Trade Association (Analdex) in dialogue with The spectator.
In fact, In August 2024, the Colombian government published a decree with which the suspension of coal export to Israel was orderedconsidering that, in the words of President Petro, “with Colombian coal they make bombs to kill the children of Palestine”, a fact that generated concerns to the sector, since Colombia should take advantage of any source of income before the fiscal crisis that the country is going through.
“The main affected by the suspension of #exports of coal to Israel will be Colombia. In the midst of a fiscal crisis that requires taking advantage of each source of resources, this measure will limit vital income that sustains regions such as La Guajira and Cesar, deeply in need of investment for its development, ”said María Claudia Lacouture, president of Amcham Colombia.
In addition to the economic impact, the decision also had repercussions on safety cooperation. Israel had been a key ally in the training of Colombian Armed Forces, especially in issues related to the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking. As reported The spectatorthe suspension of this collaboration left a void in strategic areas, which led the Colombian government to seek alternatives in other countries to meet these needs.
Among the aspects that were harmed by the measure taken by President Petro is the maintenance of the KFIR combat aircraft or intelligence software. However, from the Petro government the acquisition was mentioned between 16 and 24 SAAB 39 flu planes of Sweden, in order to renew the fleet of the Colombian aerospace force.
“There will be compensation in social investment that will consist of a solar flexible panel production factory, the latest technology, which will be located in the department of Córdoba, the installation of drinking water for several points of the department of La Guajira; the restoration and installation of the latest technological technological equipment in the central tower of the San Juan de Dios Hospital in Bogotá,” Petro explained in X.
Despite criticism, the Colombian government has defended its position, arguing that the suspension of relations with Israel is consistent with its foreign policy approach based on the defense of human rights and international law.
However, President Gustavo Petro himself does not rule out the possibility of diplomatic relations with Israel, but on the condition that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamín Netanyahu, leaves power.
“When Netanyahu leaves, we will restore relations with Israel, we will put a consulate in Gaza, in the free and sovereign state of Palestine”, Commented the president on social networks, adding the invitation for the Hamas terrorist group to release the Colombo-Israelí Elkana Bohbot, held since October 2023.
