BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombia became the latest Latin American country to announce it. will sever diplomatic relations with Israel Although military operations in Gaza have been called into question, the impact on the South American country could be broader than elsewhere due to long-standing bilateral agreements on security issues.
president of colombia Gustavo Petro On Wednesday, the government announced it would end diplomatic relations with Israel as of Thursday, describing Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip as a “genocide.” But he wondered what impact his decision would have on the Colombian military, which uses Israeli-made fighter jets and machine guns to fight drug cartels and rebels, and on the free trade agreement between the two countries that took effect in 2020. He did not say whether it would have an impact.
Even in the region, Bolivia Belize also severed diplomatic relations with Israel over the Israel-Hamas war.
Here we look at the close relationship between Colombia and Israel and its impact.
Why is security cooperation between Colombia and Israel important?
Since Colombia and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1957, they have signed dozens of agreements on a wide range of issues, including education and trade. But nothing binds the two countries more closely than military agreements.
All Colombian fighter jets are Israeli-made. More than 20 Kfir Israeli fighter jets were used by the Air Force in repeated attacks on remote guerrilla camps that weakened the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. The attacks helped force the rebels into peace negotiations, leading to their disarmament in 2016.
However, the fleet, purchased in the late 1980s, is aging and in need of maintenance, which only an Israeli company can perform. Manufacturers from France, Sweden and the United States have approached the Colombian government about alternative options, but the Petro government’s spending priorities lie elsewhere.
The Colombian military also uses the Galil rifle, which was designed in Israel and Colombia has the rights to manufacture and sell. Israel is also assisting the South American country with its cybersecurity needs.
Will Petro’s announcement affect military contracts between Colombia and Israel?
It remains unknown.
“All communications related to this announcement will be made through established official channels and will not be made public,” Colombia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Thursday. The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press, while the Israeli embassy in Bogota declined to discuss the matter.
But the day before Petro announced its decision, Colombian Defense Minister Iván Velázquez told lawmakers that there would be no new contracts with Israel, but that existing contracts, including the maintenance of Kfir fighter jets and missile systems, would be fulfilled. Told.
Velasquez said the government had set up a “transition” committee aimed at “diversifying” suppliers to avoid dependence on Israel. He added that one of the possibilities being considered is the development of a rifle by Colombian military industry to replace the Galil.
Security cooperation is at the center of tensions between the two countries. Israel said in October: Security exports to Colombia will be suspended Petro refused to condemn Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel, which sparked the war, and likened Israel’s actions in Gaza to those of Nazi Germany. In February, Petro announced a suspension of arms purchases from Israel.
For retired Gen. Guillermo León, the former commander of Colombia’s air force, the country’s military will face consequences if the Petro regime breaks its contractual obligations or refuses to sign new contracts even if it honors them. I’ll take it.
“At the end of the year there will be no maintenance or spare parts, and from then on the fleet will quickly find itself without the means to maintain itself,” he told The Associated Press. “This year, three aircraft were withdrawn from service due to end-of-life compliance.”
What is the trade relationship between the two countries?
The free trade agreement between Colombia and Israel entered into force in August 2020. Israel currently buys 1% of Colombia’s total exports, including coal, coffee and flowers.
According to Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, exports to Israel totaled $499 million last year, down 53% from 2022.
Colombia’s imports from Israel include electrical equipment, plastics and fertilizers.
The two governments have not explained whether the diplomatic feud will affect the trade deal.
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