By Hammad Kahlun
Scandinavian news Finland
Petro Fires Back at Israeli Minister Saar, Defends Stance on Gaza and Rejects Foreign Interference in Colombian Elections
Petro Responds to Insult with Schopenhauer Reference
Colombian President Gustavo Petro publicly addressed Israeli Minister Gideon Saar, responding to what he described as an insult lacking substantive argument.
Petro invoked the philosopher Schopenhauer, suggesting that insults often replace reasoned debate when arguments are absent.
Petro stated he was not antisemitic, asserting that both Arab and Jewish peoples are Semitic peoples descended from the biblical lineage of Shem, and that this shared heritage informs his beliefs.
Petro Maintains Position on Gaza and Two-State Solution
Petro reiterated his characterization of Israeli Minister actions in Gaza as constituting genocide, framing his opposition as rooted in international law rather than religious or ethnic considerations.
He referenced the Nuremberg Tribunal of 1948 as a foundational moment for laws against crimes against humanity.
The Colombian president said he supports a sovereign Palestinian state alongside the continued existence of Israel, calling for a return to 1967 borders as part of a two-state framework.
Holocaust and Historical Memory Invoked
Petro emphasized that he does not minimize the Holocaust suffered by Jewish people under Nazi Germany.
He drew parallels to the historical enslavement of African peoples brought to the Americas, framing both as warnings against contemporary forms of persecution.
He warned against rising xenophobic rhetoric toward migrants, citing online amplification of extremist discourse and referencing recent calls for harsher penalties against migrants following events in Belfast.
Accusations Against Israeli Government Over Colombian Elections
Petro accused the Israeli Minister government of financing efforts, in alliance with pardoned drug traffickers, to influence Colombian elections.
He referenced recordings attributed to former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, a convicted drug trafficker, which he said had undergone forensic analysis.
According to Israeli Minister Petro, these recordings indicate attempts to manipulate Colombian public opinion through financial means and artificial intelligence.
Colombia’s National Identity Highlighted
Petro Israeli Minister referenced the historical ties between Colombia’s flag and Haiti, noting that Haitian women who had emancipated themselves from slavery contributed to its creation, with support from independence leaders Francisco de Miranda and Simón Bolívar.
He described the flag as a symbol of freedom, asserting that Colombia rejects what he termed “the politics of death” and remains committed to principles of life and liberty.
Israel-Colombia diplomatic relations timeline
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