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Colombia’s Petro Government Demonstrates Global Response to Israel’s Actions

  • 2026年2月6日
  • Estimated read time 12 min read
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Why can a mid-sized country in South America make significant moves against what many consider the world’s most dangerous rogue state, yet powerful nations hesitate?

Once again, Israel has boldly violated a host of international laws by “intercepting” the Global Samud Flotilla in international waters and detaining the crews of vessels attempting to deliver crucial food and supplies to the starving population of Gaza. As usual, the Western media’s reporting adds confusion:

Fortunately, there have been no reported fatalities among the crew members this time.

Meanwhile, social media is buzzing with various interpretations of the situation…

Is Israel Committing Crimes Against 46 Nations?

Former British diplomat Craig Murray provides a comprehensive overview, explaining how Israel’s recent piracy, including the unlawful seizure of vessels and abduction of crews in international waters, violates international law. These actions also constitute crimes under the laws of the 46 countries whose citizens are involved:

I write as the former Head of Maritime Section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Alternate Head of UK Delegation to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea Prepcom.

1) The flotilla is on the High Seas and not in Israel’s 12-mile territorial sea. Israel has no jurisdiction.

2) The Israeli maritime blockade has been in place for 17 years, part of the long-term occupation deemed illegal by the ICJ advisory opinion.

3) As such, it is not a temporary measure as defined in the San Remo manual.

4) Humanitarian supplies are explicitly not subject to blockade under San Remo rules.

5) The UN Commission of Inquiry already established that Israel is committing genocide, making the blockade part of its genocidal machinery.

Therefore, Israel’s attack on the flotilla is illegal for reasons 1 to 5.

6) On the High Seas, the law of the flag state applies to each ship, so an attack by a state military vessel on any ship in these waters is an attack on its flag state.

7) Illegal possession of vessels or crew abduction on the High Seas should be pursued as crimes under the jurisdiction of each flag state, not solely by international law.

8) Consequently, the Metropolitan Police and DPP must investigate and act on the abduction of individuals from UK-flagged vessels on the High Seas. This applies similarly across all flag states.

Below, you’ll find an infographic detailing the countries represented by the flotilla. Notably, participation extends beyond Western nations to include citizens from “Global South” countries who traveled on secondary passports. Key delegations include nationals from Turkey (56), Tunisia (28), Malaysia (27), Algeria (17), Brazil (14), Mexico (7), Morocco (7), South Africa (7), and Palestine.

A world map highlighting countries with participant counts for the Samud Freedom Flotilla. Flags and numbers are marked next to each country, such as Turkey with 56, Spain with 49, Italy with 48, France with 33, Tunisia with 28, Pakistan with 2, and India with 0. The text "497 PARTICIPANTS FROM 46 COUNTRIES" is prominently displayed in blue at the bottom.

Israel’s actions have ignited large public protests in many affected countries, including Italy, Spain, Greece, France, Turkey, Sweden, Belgium, Jordan, Tunisia, and Mexico.

In Italy, despite a pro-Trump, pro-Israel government, the two largest unions have declared a general strike for today (October 3rd), threatening to halt the economy if Israel attacked the Gaza flotilla. The strike is expected to affect all sectors, both public and private. Here’s a recent update on developments from an Italy-based NC reader DJG, Reality Star:

Demonstrations and strikes have already begun in Italy, with a general strike called for Friday, October 3. Here in Torino, a demo is planned for this evening — I saw reports of a confrontation at the Stazione Porta Nuova this morning. I’m not certain, as I live just a few blocks from the train station.

Reports detail who is present on the boats. From the Catholic daily Avvenire, Cardinal Zuppi, head of the bishops’ conference, has spoken out publicly.

https://www.avvenire.it/attualita/pagine/flotilla-attivisti

One Eurodeputy from the Partito Democratico, one member of the PD from the Camera dei Deputati, one Eurodeputy from the Italian Greens (different from the German Greens), and one member of the Italian Senate from 5Stars. This is significant, as around 50 of the 450 people on the boats are Italian. Italy’s parliament is more engaged than other countries.

While in Palermo on September 4, I witnessed a demonstration supporting the Flotilla even before the boats embarked. Following the departure of the Barcelona group, additional boats gathered at Catania in Sicily, then moved to Siracusa and Augusta before joining the Barcelona group for their voyage to Crete.

Support is widespread: culturally, being just 80 km from Tunisia, the ancient route from Sicily to Crete is well-known, and Italians share deep historical ties to the Levant. This Flotilla is not an exotic venture.

Most governments of the 46 affected nations will likely respond with empty rhetoric while doing little — or, worse, increasing their support for Israel. Much depends on the volume of local protests. If the UK’s Labour government acts, it may ultimately benefit Israel, as noted by Murray.

Germany’s reaction has been typically forceful, resembling a jackboot approach:

Spain’s President Pedro Sánchez, who had previously shown some courage, seems to have reverted to his old ways. Following his earlier alignment with protests against Israel’s participation in the La Vuelta cycling race, which ended abruptly, Sánchez has downplayed the flotilla’s efforts by urging it to refrain from entering Israel’s no-fly zone. This resulted in accusations of betrayal from the flotilla crew and his coalition partners. Additionally, he supported a neo-colonial reconstruction project for Gaza backed by Trump and Blair.

If European governments ultimately take decisive action against Israel, it will likely be due to public pressure.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Israel’s “brutality” during the flotilla boarding and pledged to convene an emergency inquiry into Israel’s actions. However, true to his pattern, he has instead opted to impose sanctions on… Iran.

The trend is disappointingly similar among Arab states and many BRICS nations, including China. As previously highlighted, Beijing has condemned Israel’s actions while simultaneously boosting its trade with the nation. This pattern also holds for Brazil, whose exports to Israel nearly doubled year over year in July. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva used his UN speech to criticize not only the genocide in Gaza but also those complicit in it.

The saying “actions speak louder than words” rings especially true regarding ongoing atrocities, but few UN member states can regard themselves with pride in their responses (or lack thereof) to Israel’s actions.

Only a few, such as Iran and its emerging allies in the Middle East (including the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon), resist actively. Likewise, the anti-US bloc in Latin America—Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua—has positioned itself firmly against Israel since the onset of the genocide.

Colombia presents a stark contrast. Historically, it has been a crucial ally in South America for Washington and a significant partner for Israel. According to political analyst Alfredo Jalife, “the Israelis control Colombia’s spyware and assist in training its soldiers and paramilitaries,” a relationship documented for decades. The violent legacy includes a brutal campaign resulting in thousands of deaths among political opponents in Colombia.

Proudly Shaming the World

In sharp contrast to many nations, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro government has been assertive in its condemnation of Israeli actions in Gaza. It severed formal ties with Israel in May 2024 and prohibited coal exports and arms purchases, being among the first to impose unilateral sanctions since the outbreak of violence.

Now, in response to Israel’s abduction of GSF delegates, including two Colombians, the Petro government has heightened its sanctions by suspending the free trade agreement with Israel and ordering the expulsion of its diplomatic mission from Bogotá. Petro’s administration stated, “This constitutes yet another international crime committed by Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. We are taking action to protect all Colombian citizens and uphold national sovereignty while condemning human rights violations.”

Colombia’s announcement of further actions emerges shortly after Petro delivered a blunt critique (in Spanish) of both the Netanyahu and Trump administrations during what may well be his final address to the UN General Assembly. Here are some notable excerpts:

  • On the comparisons between genocide in Gaza and recent events in the Caribbean: “Those without weapons or large budgets are rarely heard. Yet now, four years since my first address, the horrifying situation in Palestine leads me to believe history could repeat itself in Colombia’s Caribbean, where 17 unarmed youths were killed by missiles under the guise of combating drug trafficking… Perhaps we have entered a Global Stone Age.”
  • On Trump’s role in Gaza: “Trump is complicit in genocide. This forum serves as a mute witness to genocide.”
  • On the far-reaching implications of current global crises: “Today, we face a new crisis, an all-encompassing one. Barbarism has descended upon our planet, targeting all of humanity. Missiles fell upon 17 unarmed young people, potentially including Colombians, in Caribbean waters. In Gaza, 70,000 lives were extinguished.”
  • On the true motivations driving Trump’s actions in the Caribbean: “They require violence to dominate Colombia and Latin America. Their intention is to disband dialogue and assert dominance through lethal means against impoverished youth in the Caribbean. The anti-drug policies do not aim to eliminate cocaine destined for the U.S., but to subjugate the peoples of the South.”

Later in the week, Petro addressed protesters at an anti-genocide rally in New York, equating Israel’s actions in Gaza to the Holocaust and urging U.S. troops to defy President Trump’s orders.

“I implore all soldiers in the U.S. military to turn their weapons away from humanity,” he stated. “Disobey Trump’s orders. Heed the call of humanity.”

Facing Isolation at Home and Abroad

This advocacy drew ire from the Trump administration, which retaliated by revoking Petro’s visa, raising alarms in Colombia, where the U.S. maintains several military bases. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, an ardent supporter of Israel, has threatened to revoke visas and legal rights for anyone opposing U.S. interests.

Moreover, Colombia has been decertified as a trusted ally in the war on drugs, a decision likely tied to a failed soft coup attempt against Petro orchestrated by his former foreign minister.

Domestic pressure is also mounting against Petro after he proposed sharing sensitive intelligence with Venezuelan President Maduro to counter FARC and ELN dissidents in the Catatumbo region. Critics claim Caracas cannot be trusted with such valuable information due to its close affiliations with the ELN.

Political expert Eduardo Pizarro Leongómez stated: “While Colombia should never support Washington’s coercive measures in the Caribbean or, much less, a direct military intervention that could destabilize our nation, it’s also unwise for sensitive intelligence on crucial issues to be exchanged with Caracas. Such information could be misappropriated.”

This will likely be perceived as another provocation by the U.S., which is intent on flattening opposition to Israeli actions in Gaza, whether through social media suppression or governmental retaliation. The U.S. response is further provoked by Colombia’s decision to cancel its flexible credit line with the International Monetary Fund, which had been in place since April 2024.

“Colombia has decided to terminate its flexible credit line with the IMF established in April 2024. The outstanding installment is still scheduled for payment in December 2025,” stated central bank manager Leonardo Villar.

In essence, as Petro concludes his term, he is positioning Colombia free from the restraints of U.S. debt diplomacy.

Regardless of one’s opinion of Petro, he stands out as perhaps the sole national leader willing to risk everything to confront Israel’s heinous violations. Yet, his administration is facing increasing isolation, both globally and domestically, while invoking the ire of a vengeful U.S. government intent on instigating conflict in the Caribbean, following a previous coup attempt.

Unlike many global leaders, Petro has transformed strong rhetoric into tangible actions, severing ties with Tel Aviv, expelling its diplomats, and suspending Colombia’s free trade agreement with Israel. If a mid-sized nation in Latin America can enact such impactful measures against a country widely regarded as a rogue state, it poses an important question: why are more powerful nations standing idly by?

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