During the weekend, various Colombian media outlets reported that the Israeli embassy in Bogotá had been vandalized by hooded men after attacks organized by the terrorist group Hamas.
Gali Dagan, Israeli ambassador to Colombia, made a post on X (formerly Twitter) regarding the attack against the Israeli Embassy.
“The official figures, which unfortunately are growing every day, are: more than 700 dead, more than 100 Israelis in the hands of Hamas - kidnapped in Gaza, and more than 2,000 wounded. Look at 'the solidarity' we receive below the @IsraelinCol facilities,” wrote Dagan, who also asked leftist Colombian President Gustavo Petro to condemn the Hamas attacks after the president made several controversial posts X that have been labeled as antisemitic.
Balanza oficial del ataque terrorista de #Hamas contra Israel 🇮🇱 ayer. Las cifras oficiales, que lamentablemente están creciendo cada día, son: más de 700 muertos, más de 100 israelíes en las manos de Hamas- secuestrados en Gaza y más 2000 heridos.
Miren ‘la solidaridad’ que… https://t.co/CPyk9GcC54 pic.twitter.com/ncNCkmmhVT
— Embajador Gali Dagan (@galida12) October 8, 2023
“War has broken out again between Israel and Palestinian Gaza. In my speech at the United Nations I showed how world power treated the Russian occupation of Ukraine in one way and the Israeli occupation of Palestine in another, very different way. My votes go to establishing a peace dialogue where the Palestinian state is fully recognized,” Petro wrote of the Hamas attacks, which began Saturday.
Regarding these words, Ambassador Dagan said: “It is very difficult to find, let's say, the common denominator between these two cases ... We hope that a country friendly to Israel strongly and clearly condemns the terrorist attack against innocent civilians in the State of Israel.”
Since then, Petro has filled X with different opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict .
"If I had lived in Germany in '33 I would have fought on the side of the Jews, and if I had lived in Palestine in 1948 I would have fought on the Palestinian side," Petro wrote on Sunday, generating controversy. "Judaism is one thing and Zionism is another."
Presidente, usted tiene muy distorsionadas las versiones de la historia mundial y del país que gobierna.
— Laura Pinzón 🇨🇴 (@Laurapinzonb) October 8, 2023
In another post, the Colombian president, who was a member of the M-19 guerrilla group, stated that "terrorism is killing innocent children, whether in Colombia or Palestine ... I ask Israel and Palestine to come to a table at negotiate peace."
Petro's post provoked a reaction from the Israeli ambassador in Colombia: “In the hands of the Hamas terrorist army, more than 100 Israeli citizens were kidnapped from their homes.”
Excelentísimo honorable señor presidente @petrogustavo , en las manos del ejército terrorista de Hamás más de 100 ciudadanos israelíes fueron secuestrados de sus hogares.
Entre ellos ancianos y jóvenes, hombres y mujeres, niños y niñas, como la madre israelí acá en la foto que… https://t.co/xiU1YWFzwC pic.twitter.com/9TvnEW2NtX
— Embajador Gali Dagan (@galida12) October 8, 2023
Petro responded by saying, "The Colombian government is committed to ensuring that there is not a single hostage in the entire territory of Palestine and Israel."
The president's comments have not gone unnoticed in Colombia, with multiple journalists and thought leaders accusing the socialist leader of promoting antisemitic rhetoric .
“In the delirious hatred that characterizes the essence of President Gustavo Petro, he now calls the Jews Nazis … What an impressive delirium. It is clear that Colombia has an openly antisemitic president,” wrote journalist María Andrea Nieto, from Semana magazine.
En el delirante odio que caracteriza la esencia del presidente Gustavo Petro, ahora les dice nazis a los judíos!! Qué delirio tan impresionante. Es claro que Colombia tiene un presidente abiertamente antisemita. pic.twitter.com/k4b7JcrUR7
— MARIA ANDREA NIETO (@MAndreaNieto) October 9, 2023
“Look at what Petro's antisemitic speech generates, they have just vandalized the Israeli Embassy in Colombia. Petro acts like the Nazis,” said lawyer and columnist Jaime Arizabaleta.
Miren lo que genera el discurso antisemita de Petro, acaban de vandalizar la embajada de Israel en Colombia
Petro actúa como los nazis
— Jaime Arizabaleta 🇨🇴 (@jarizabaletaf) October 8, 2023
In one of his most controversial tweets, Petro even compared the Gaza Strip to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, responding to statements by Ambassador Dagan, who has adopted a diplomatic but critical tone with the Colombian head of state.
“I was already in the Auschwitz concentration camp and now I see it copied in Gaza,” Petro wrote.
Ya estuve en el campo de concentración de Auschwitz y ahora lo veo calcado en Gaza. https://t.co/DfuzwQSsZu
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 9, 2023
