Colombian Foreign Minister Urges Israeli Ambassador to Leave Amid Diplomatic Crisis

Colombian Foreign Minister Alvaro Leyva has called on Israeli Ambassador Gali Dagan to leave Colombia amid a growing bilateral crisis over President Gustavo Petro’s stance regarding recent events in the Middle East.

The latest tension centers around President Petro’s response to Hamas attacks and Israel’s reaction in the Gaza Strip. Petro has expressed support for the Palestinian cause, leading to a social media confrontation with the global Jewish community. In this context, the Colombian Foreign Minister summoned the Israeli ambassador to leave the country, claiming that his behavior had been insensitive and inappropriate towards the President of Colombia.

“The history of universal diplomacy will record as a milestone the senseless rudeness of the Israeli Ambassador in Colombia towards @petrogustavo, the President of the Republic. Shame (sic). At the very least, apologize and leave. Intelligence is confronted with intelligence. There are states at stake,” the foreign minister expressed through his X (formerly known as Twitter) account.

Israel Halts Security Exports to Colombia

The situation escalated when Gustavo Petro threatened to suspend diplomatic relations with Israel in response to Israel’s decision to halt security exports to Colombia due to the Colombian president’s statements, which Israel considered hostile and anti-Semitic.

“If we need to suspend foreign relations with Israel, we will do so,” Petro declared on X, concluding with a resolute “We do not support genocides.”

The Israeli government had previously summoned the Colombian Ambassador Margarita Manjarrez to Israel to register its disagreement with Petro’s statements, in which he expressed clear support for the Palestinian cause and did not explicitly condemn the killing and kidnapping of Israeli civilians by Hamas.

In response, Israel decided to halt security exports to Colombia, further intensifying the tension between the two countries.

This situation is generating significant concern regarding cooperation between Israel and Colombia, countries which had previously maintained a stable relationship. The international community is closely watching the development of this diplomatic tension and hopes that both parties can find a dialogue solution to resolve their differences.