Bogota, Oct 9 (EFE).- Dozens of Colombians gathered Monday at the Israeli Embassy in Bogota to protest the swastikas with Nazi symbolism that were painted on the doors of the diplomatic headquarters itself, in addition to the support of Colombian President Gustavo Petro to the Palestinian cause.
“We are denouncing the excessive hatred we are experiencing here in Bogota and in an embassy demonstrating hatred with symbols that everyone knows they represent,” Mauricio Ruiz, one of the people who was erasing the numerous graffiti, told EFE.
With banners reading “I support the State of Israel in its fight against terrorism” or the singing of the country’s national anthem, as well as numerous Israeli flags, the demonstrators claimed that “in Colombia we love Israel and we bless it.”
“When I see the graffiti I remember the past, we know what we have walked and what has been experienced in history,” Ruiz recounted just after cleaning all the walls that were covered with Nazi symbology.
Another reason for the sit-in was Petro’s support to the Palestinians and for not condemning the killing and kidnapping of people that began last Saturday in Israel by the Islamic terrorist group Hamas and that has led to a war with Palestine.
They ask Petro to rectify his position “We respect Petro but we do not understand his strategy and we do not agree with his decisions before Alvaro Leyva (Minister of Foreign Affairs in Colombia) condemned the attack and now he regrets the losses on both sides”, explained to EFE director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, Hector Pardo.
The attendees invited Petro to “rectify” his messages published on social networks about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because “it must be remembered that he does not represent all of Colombia, and if it is true that he promulgates that it is a country of peace and love, he has to represent his words with deeds and not confuse the Colombian people”.
Since last Saturday, Petro has posted on social networks numerous messages about the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians as a result of the bloody attacks of Hamas that left more than 800 dead in Israel and 560 among Palestinians, mainly due to the bombing of Gaza.
In addition, Pardo recalled that in Colombia massacres have increased concerning past governments, but “they always blame others”.
The demonstrators explained that Palestine is another victim of terrorism carried out by the Hamas group, whom they consider the only ones to blame for this slaughter that has left hundreds of deaths and rapes.
“The Palestinian people are under the domination of the terrorists and are suffering the consequences now because Israel has to defend itself, unfortunately (…) Palestine is under the domination of the terrorists,” stated Pardo.
This war is not only affecting Syrians and Palestinians, as in the last hours it has been known that two Colombian citizens, who were at a music festival near Gaza, are missing. EFE
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