Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro urged Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end attacks on occupied territories in Palestine.
In a letter, the Colombian president also urged Netanyahu to create an international commission to facilitate peace between Israel and Palestine.
The letter was a response to the Israeli PM’s request to negotiate the release of Elkana Bohbot, an event organizer who was kidnapped by Palestinian armed groups in October last year.
Petro told Netanyahu that he had granted Bohbot Colombian citizenship in November in order to support his Colombian wife and secure “the reunification of her family.”
“But, beyond individual cases,” said the Colombian president, “I consider it a priority to move quickly towards an immediate cessation of hostilities and to initiate talks for the release of all hostages.”
Petro additionally reiterated his call at the United Nations to create a “Peace Commission that is integrated by several countries to guarantee these releases and achieve the higher goal of ending the violence unleased between Israel and Palestine.”
No bloodshed means talking, seeking common paths, again and again, until the people are not brought to their knees, until rights are guaranteed, until peace is a reality. In the midst of this insane and depraved violence that plagues our countries, the only possible way forward must be to reach a peace agreement to preserve life.
President Gustavo Petro
The Colombian president has been among the most vociferous critics of Israel’s alleged genocide of Palestinians in the Gaza strip and its decades-long illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
