The United States Embassy in Bogotá condemned the statements made by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in which he compared the actions of the Israeli government to the genocide perpetrated by Adolf Hitler during World War II.
Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. ambassador to Colombia, published a statement this Thursday condemning Petro's position after the attacks by the Hamas terrorist group.
“We were shocked to see Colombian President [Gustavo Petro] compare the Israeli government to Hitler’s genocidal regime. We strongly condemn President Petro’s statements,” wrote the special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.
In her post, Lipstadt also called on the Colombian president to retract his statements and condemn the attack by the terrorist group Hamas. “We call on him to condemn Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, for its barbaric murder of Israeli men, women and children,” she said.
The message was shared a few minutes later on the official X account of the United States Embassy in Bogotá .
-@StateSEAS: Nos consterna ver al presidente colombiano Gustavo Petro comparar al gobierno israelí con el régimen genocida de Hitler. Condenamos enfáticamente sus afirmaciones y le solicitamos que condene a Hamás, una organización designada como terrorista, por los crueles… https://t.co/SP5sUuEnyb
— US Embassy Bogota (@USEmbassyBogota) October 12, 2023
Petro's statements
On Oct. 8, shortly after Hamas carried out its violent attack against Israel, the Colombian president made a post assuring that the Palestinian people have been victims of the injustices committed by the Israeli government, and suggested that, although in the past he would have fought on the side of the Jews, now he is on the side of the Palestinians.
“If I had lived in Germany in 1933, 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. Now the neo-Nazis want the destruction of the Palestinian people, freedom and culture,” he wrote.
Desde muy joven estudie el conflicto palestino israelí y se de la inmensa injusticia que ha sufrido el pueblo palestino desde 1948.
Igual que se de la inmensa injusticia que sufrió el pueblo judío por los nazis en Europa desde 1933.
Si hubiera vivido en la Alemania del 33… https://t.co/IkxuRynaF9
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) October 8, 2023
Later, the Israeli ambassador in Bogotá, Gali Dagan, invited Petro to the Auschwitz concentration camp, to which the Colombian president responded: “I was already in the Auschwitz concentration camp and now I see it copied in Gaza.”
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
The World Jewish Congress reacts to Petro's statements
“What you are saying is an insult to the six million victims of the Holocaust and to the Jewish People. Your comments here, and the others on your page completely ignore the hundreds of dead and kidnapped during Hamas’ murderous attack on Israeli civilians. This post is a shame to you and your country. A world leader should do better,” the World Jewish Congress wrote to Petro in response to his comments.
President @petrogustavo:
What you are saying is an insult to the six million victims of the Holocaust and to the Jewish People. Your comments here, and the others on your page completely ignore the hundreds of dead and kidnapped during Hamas’ murderous attack on Israeli… https://t.co/tzYUlCE679
— World Jewish Congress (@WorldJewishCong) October 9, 2023
