Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced on Wednesday a decisive move to expel all remaining Israeli diplomats from Colombia, following what he described as an Israeli "international crime" after its navy intercepted the Freedom Flotilla, which was carrying humanitarian aid bound for the Gaza Strip.
Relations between Bogotá and Tel Aviv have been strained since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza. In 2024, Colombia cut diplomatic ties with Israel in protest against what Petro called "grave violations against Palestinian civilians." Despite this rupture, Israel had maintained a small consular presence in Colombia with about 40 staff members, including four Israeli diplomats who held official diplomatic status, according to a Colombian source quoted by Agence France-Presse.
The latest events, however, prompted Petro’s government to adopt tougher measures. According to the Colombian president, the Israeli navy intercepted several vessels belonging to the "Freedom Flotilla Coalition," among them a ship carrying prominent Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and another carrying two Colombian women who were detained in what Petro insisted were "international waters." He demanded their "immediate and unconditional release."
Petro, who has been in office since 2022 as Colombia’s first leftist president, declared that his country "categorically rejects any act that endangers the safety, freedom, or fundamental rights of Colombian citizens abroad." He framed the decision as a defense of "national sovereignty and the dignity of every Colombian citizen, wherever they may be."
In addition to the expulsion of Israeli diplomats, Petro announced the immediate cancellation of Colombia’s free trade agreement with Israel, arguing that maintaining such an agreement under current circumstances was "politically and morally unacceptable."
The flotilla itself, known as the "Global Freedom Flotilla," set sail in early September from several ports across Europe and North Africa, including Spain, Tunisia, and Italy. It consists of nearly 45 vessels of various sizes, carrying hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists from more than 50 countries. The flotilla carries essential humanitarian supplies, including baby formula, food, and medical aid, in what organizers describe as a "completely peaceful, nonviolent mission" intended to break the blockade and deliver direct relief to civilians in Gaza.
These developments come at a time of growing international division over the Gaza war, with mounting pressure on Israel from several Latin American states, parts of Europe, and even segments of U.S. public opinion. Human rights organizations continue to warn of the worsening humanitarian catastrophe facing more than two million Palestinians trapped inside the enclave.
With this move, Colombia has taken another step in escalating its diplomatic confrontation with Israel. Petro has reaffirmed his country’s place among those nations that are raising their voices against the war, sending a strong humanitarian and moral message that could further shift the dynamics of international debate.
