Colombia open to maintaining relations with Israel: Foreign minister

By Faruk Zorlu and Sinan Dogan

Colombia’s foreign minister adopted a conciliatory tone Monday, saying his country will maintain relations with Israel provided there is a commitment to mutual respect.

"Relations with Israel will be maintained if this country so wishes. Our constitutional principles teach us and command us to respect international law. Something that must be two-way. Respectful relations between states will always be welcome," Alvaro Leyva said on X.

Pointing out that Israel's Ambassador to Colombia, Gali Dagan, has not been deported from the country, Leyva said: "I have not said that the Israeli ambassador is expelled. It is only aspired and indicated that sanity of words and respect for President (Gustavo) Petro @petrogustavo are mandatory in diplomatic relations. That's how it should be."

Asking Dagan to "apologize and leave" in an earlier post during the day, Leyva demanded respect for the president and accused the ambassador of being "rude."

Tensions have been brewing especially on social media between the parties due to Petro's stance on the Palestinian issue.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously summoned Colombia's ambassador Margarita Manjarrez and reprimanded her for "hostile and anti-Semitic" comments by President Petro, who has refused to condemn the recent attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Israel, despite pleas from the Israeli government and the US to do so.

Dagan has been responding to Petro's posts since the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Petro declared his refusal to “support genocides” and pledged humanitarian aid to Gaza, where thousands have lost their lives in retaliatory airstrikes by Israel.

Israel confirmed its decision to suspend military exports to Colombia, even though a good part of what is used by the Colombian Armed Forces including rifles, Kfir fighter jets, anti-aircraft batteries, tanks and radars, drones, Spike type missiles, armored vehicles, ammunition, mortars and maritime systems come from Israel.​​​​​​​

"If we have to suspend foreign relations with Israel, we will suspend them,” Petro said. “The president of Colombia will not be insulted."