BOGOTA, Colombia – Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro noted the lack of response of the world to the many aggressions of the Israelite army against Gaza, stating that a genocide is taking place in Palestine. Petro categorically condemned the actions in a post on X (formerly Twitter), where he said, “And anyone who defends this genocide or is silent in the face of it has abolished their humanity.”

Petro compared the present global information about the conflict to the propaganda of the Third Reich, adding that Goebbels is the one who controls the flow of information in the world when tens of thousands of journalists are muted in the face of their peers killed and 20 thousand babies killed by bombs.

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His comments come after the Israeli military invaded Al Jazeera television’s office in the recently seized West Bank city of Ramallah in the early hours of Sunday and sealed it for 45 days. This advancement has led to increasing uncertainty in other countries about media freedom.

Petro’s remarks also come at a time when his administration is experiencing diplomatic tensions with Washington over his criticism of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza. A day earlier, US State Department Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Anti-Semitism Deborah Lipstadt called Petro’s statements to incite hatred against the Jewish people. (More)

Anti-Semitism is still commonly used, and President Gustavo Petro perpetuates this by using this language on various occasions. We cannot accept it. We cannot tolerate it. These destructive stories should not be tolerated,’ Lipstadt posted on the social media platform of the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.

Petro immediately sprung to his defense on X by pointing out that Palestinians are also considered Semites; the bigotry of assassinating innocent children in Gaza is an actual anti-Semitic act. As he said, “It is anti-Semitic to kill children by bombing in Gaza and still not say something about it.” The most anti-Semitic thing today is to repeat what was done to the Jews, but this time doing the Holocaust on humanity as well as the Palestinian people.

The Colombian president went on to clarify that his condemnation of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza should not be mistaken for anti-Semitic sentiments. He responded by saying, “I am not an anti-Semitic… I think that people have the right to choose their religion… but I also believe that people have the right from international law.

Israel initiated its armed conflict in retaliation to an Oct. 7 assault carried out by the Palestinian group Hamas, which caused the death of 1,200 Israelis. Since then, over 41,400 Palestinian have been killed in Gaza, and many continue to be displaced with worsening conditions in a humanitarian crisis in the region. 

The comments made by Petro, as well as his continuous dissatisfaction with the international community’s decision in the Gaza crisis, exhibit his administration’s anti-Israel approach towards military operation, which conflicts with the US and challenges the diplomatic tension.