Former Israeli Ambassador to Colombia Gali Dagan bid farewell to the country in a video posted on social media, thanking Colombians for their kindness and tireless work during his two-year tenure. The video featured a montage of official events, meetings, and activities Dagan participated in during his time in Colombia.
Dagan’s message read: “Thank you so much Colombia. You were so kind to us. Two years of tireless work for the friendship between our countries and brotherly peoples. We miss you already. Goodbye.”
The video included pictures of Dagan’s encounters with Colombian presidents, including Gustavo Petro, as well as scenes from official events. The song “Jaguar Paw” by Israeli psy-trance musician Libra played in the background, with Dagan explaining that it was a tribute to the 364 fatal victims of the NOVA festival, who were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists in October 2023.
Petro, a former member of the Marxist M19 terrorist guerrilla group, has spearheaded an international campaign against Israel since the start of the self-defense operations against Hamas. He has made several antisemitic remarks, accusing Israel of turning Gaza into a concentration camp and comparing its actions to those of Nazi Germany.
In one of his most recent statements, Petro accused the US government of being run by “Nazis” and conducting an “experiment” in Gaza comparable to the Holocaust. He has also repeatedly threatened to cut ties with Israel if it did not stop its self-defense operations against Hamas.
Petro’s antisemitic remarks and actions have damaged the nearly six decades of historically friendly relations between Colombia and Israel. In May, he announced his decision to break diplomatic ties with Israel, which was reportedly celebrated by Hamas. Weeks later, the Colombian government announced plans to open a new embassy in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
