Protesters in Colombia rally against ties with Israel

What the report says

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Bogota, Colombia, on Wednesday to object to the country’s renewed ties with Israel and to denounce the war in Gaza, according to Al Jazeera. The demonstration began near the Israeli embassy and was described as a march in support of Palestinians and against what the article called genocide in Gaza.

Al Jazeera reported that the rally was aimed at President Abelardo de la Espriella’s foreign policy, including his decision to restore diplomatic and economic relations with Israel and to open a Colombian embassy in Jerusalem. The protest also coincided with the third anniversary of the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, after which Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza.

The article said de la Espriella, who took office in August, campaigned on closer relations with the United States and Israel. It added that his administration reversed measures taken by former President Gustavo Petro, who had broken off diplomatic relations with Israel and stopped Israeli arms imports over the Gaza war.

Al Jazeera also reported that Colombia recognized Israel’s claim of sovereignty over the occupied Syrian Golan Heights shortly after the new president assumed office. The protests reflect how Colombia’s shift in Middle East policy has become a point of domestic political tension and a focus for critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza.