Colombia Expels Israeli Diplomats After Gaza Flotilla Arrests
Colombia Expels Israeli Diplomats After Detention of Two Nationals in Gaza Flotilla
Bogotá – Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced the expulsion of Israel’s diplomatic mission from Bogotá after Israeli forces detained two Colombian citizens participating in a pro-Palestinian aid flotilla.
Petro said the women, Manuela Bedoya and Luna Barreto, were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza when Israeli forces intercepted the vessels in international waters. His office called for their “immediate release.”
Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed that “several vessels” had been stopped and their passengers were being taken to port.
The Colombian leader, who cut ties with Israel last year, intensified his stance by also terminating a free-trade agreement with Israel that had been in effect since 2020. Petro accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of committing “a new international crime” and labeled him “genocidal,” adding that former US President Donald Trump was an “accomplice” to “genocide.”
Last week, Petro joined a pro-Palestinian rally in New York, where he urged US soldiers to “disobey” Trump. Following his remarks, Washington revoked his visa.
Petro has emerged as one of Netanyahu’s fiercest critics on the global stage, positioning Colombia among the most outspoken voices condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.
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