Colombia pauses buying Israeli weapons and president calls war in Gaza ‘genocide’

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro says his government is suspending purchases of weapons from Israel after Palestinians say Israeli troops fired at people seeking food in Gaza. Petro’s decision marks an escalation of tensions between both countries over the Israel-Hamas war. Petro announced the move in a tweet Thursday in which he also blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the deaths and described them as “genocide.” Petro’s remarks came months after Israel suspended security exports to Colombia in a diplomatic spat over online messages by Petro comparing Israel’s siege of Gaza to the actions of Nazi Germany. Over the past two decades Colombia had been one of Israel’s closest partners in Latin America.