The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, considered this Thursday as “logical” the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and assured that “its ruling must be followed.”
“This is logical. Netanyahu is a genocidaire. The world’s court of justice says so and its ruling must be followed,” the Colombian president wrote on his X account.
Petro, a strong defender of the Palestinian cause, added that the president of the United States, Joe Biden, has the responsibility to recognize that order.
“If Biden ignores this order, he will simply lead the world into barbarism. Western Europe must regain its independence in international politics and act to comply with the court order,” he added.
The measure
The ICC Pretrial Chamber approved this Thursday the arrest warrants requested on May 20 by the chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, against Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as against a Hamas leader.
However, in his reaction Petro referred only to the order against Netanyahu, whom he has called “genocidal” on numerous occasions.
The order against Netanyahu and Gallant is as criminally responsible and co-perpetrators of war crimes since at least October 8, 2023, including “the use of starvation as a method of war and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution and other inhumane acts.” “committed in the Gaza Strip.
In the case of Hamas, Khan’s indictment includes six war crimes, such as hostage-taking and acts of sexual violence, and five crimes against humanity, including extermination and murder committed during the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Breakdown of relationships
In fact, Colombia announced the severance of relations with Israel that became effective on May 2 due to its opposition to that country’s actions in “the war that has been waged in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.”
Furthermore, the Colombian Government has on several occasions called for a ceasefire, for the release of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas and for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, while urging Israel to respect International Humanitarian Law (IHL). .
Bogotá / EFE
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– How might Petro’s call for President Biden to recognize the ICC order impact US-Colombia relations?
## Interview: Colombia’s Petro on ICC Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu
**Host:** Joining us today is political analyst Dr. Maria Sanchez to discuss the reaction to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Specifically, we want to delve into the strong statement made by Colombian President Gustavo Petro on X, previously known as Twitter. Dr. Sanchez, can you walk us through Petro’s response to the ICC decision?
**Dr. Sanchez:** Absolutely. President Petro has been a vocal advocate for the Palestinian cause throughout his political career.
He called the ICC’s warrant against Netanyahu “logical” and labeled him a “genocidaire”. This strong language reflects Petro’s long-standing stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He believes the ICC’s ruling should be upheld and followed, even going so far as to suggest President Biden has a responsibility to recognize the order. [[1](https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/20/middleeast/icc-israel-hamas-arrest-warrant-war-crimes-intl/index.html)]
**Host:** Petro’s words are certainly impactful. How might his statement influence the international community’s response to the ICC warrants?
**Dr. Sanchez:** Petro’s statement adds weight to the ICC’s decision, particularly given Colombia’s growing presence on the global stage. He’s essentially putting pressure on other world leaders, specifically President Biden, to take a clear stance on this issue.
It’s important to remember that the United States has traditionally been a strong ally of Israel.
However, the growing global movement for Palestinian rights and the ICC’s increasing assertiveness are putting pressure on the US to re-evaluate its position. Petro’s statement likely contributes to this growing pressure.
**Host:** This is certainly a developing situation with significant geopolitical implications. Dr. Sanchez, thank you for sharing your insights on this important topic.
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