President Gustavo Petro has ordered the expulsion of the entire Israeli diplomatic delegation from Colombia, a move triggered by the detention of two Colombian nationals aboard a flotilla attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to besieged Gaza.
Manuela Bedoya and Luna Barreto were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla's crew – an international effort that is trying to break Israeli blockade and deliver aid to Gaza. According to a statement from the Global Movement to Gaza, the Israeli military illegaly detained the women after the flotilla reached a high-risk area 150 nautical miles off the coast.
"After reaching 150 nautical miles ... the maritime positioning of Israeli ships begins at 23:59 UTC (6.59 pm Colombia time)," said the statement, asserting that other flotillas have been "attacked or intercepted." It described it as "a violation of international law and the Geneva Accords."
Petro warned on X that if the reports were true, it would constitute "a new international crime by Benjamin Netanyahu." He said that "the Free Trade Agreement with Israel is immediately denounced." Earlier this week, Petro expressed his desire to suspend the deal with Israel.
While Petro had already severed diplomatic relations with Israel in May 2024, his statement went further by ordering any remaining diplomatic representatives to leave Colombian territory immediately.
He indicated that the Foreign Ministry would file lawsuits, including in Israeli courts, and urged international lawyers to support the Colombian legal team.
