Colombian President attacks Israel from the UN Security Council podium, likening its practices to Nazism

Colombian President Gustavo Petro launched a scathing attack on Israeli authorities during a speech at the UN Security Council, where he likened their military practices in the Gaza Strip to the crimes of the 'Nazi regime'. Petro affirmed that the world is witnessing a war of genocide that cannot be overlooked or have its casualty figures hidden under any political or economic pretext.

In his speech, the Colombian President clarified that tens of thousands of Palestinians have fallen victim to the Israeli war machine, which has spared neither children nor civilians, noting that intense rocket shelling has affected all aspects of life in the Strip. He considered what is happening in Gaza to be a common denominator with the atrocities committed during the Nazi era, which necessitates a firm international stance.

In response, Israeli circles quickly condemned these statements, with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar describing the Colombian President as a 'stain' on his country's forehead. Sa'ar accused Petro of antisemitism and systematically downplaying the memory of the Holocaust, claiming that his communist leanings are driving his foreign policy towards Tel Aviv.

For his part, the Israeli representative to the United Nations, Danny Danon, criticized the use of the Security Council platform to launch what he described as 'distorted ideological ideas'. Danon claimed that the Colombian President's statements were unjustified and represented a direct insult to the memory of the 'Holocaust', considering that the international organization was not established to be an arena for such historical comparisons.

This diplomatic confrontation comes at a time when relations between Bogota and Tel Aviv are experiencing a complete collapse, following Colombia's official decision to cut its diplomatic ties in May 2024. Petro justified this decision by the existence of an Israeli government openly practicing genocide, a position that Colombia reinforced by requesting to join South Africa's lawsuit before the International Court of Justice.

Field reports indicate that the ongoing war of extermination since October 2023 has resulted in a heavy toll of approximately 73,000 martyrs and over 173,000 injured. US-backed military operations have also caused the destruction of nearly 90% of the infrastructure and vital facilities in the Gaza Strip, creating an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.

On the domestic political front, Israeli officials linked Petro's statements to the approaching Colombian presidential elections scheduled for June 21st. Although Petro will not run for a new term, Tel Aviv is banking on a change in Colombian foreign policy with the departure of the current leftist administration from power.

It is worth noting that Colombia was one of the first Latin American countries to take escalating diplomatic measures against Israel, starting with recalling its ambassador for consultations a few weeks after the aggression began. Bogota continues to lead an international political movement aimed at legally prosecuting Israeli leaders for committing war crimes against the Palestinian people.

No political or economic interest can hide the truth of tens of thousands killed; we are effectively returning to the Nazi era.