On October 7, 2023, my first reaction publicly was to condemn Hamas for murdering 1,200 Israelis and abducting 251. I have reiterated this condemnation ever since, as it reflects the principled stance I adopted in 1971 when I decided to dedicate my life to the democratic political struggle to transform Colombia, a position I upheld throughout my twenty years as a Senator of the Republic.
On that day, as well as before and since, I have defended the Palestinian people’s right to an independent, sovereign state comprising the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, in accordance with UN criteria. That state must, in turn, recognize the legitimacy of the State of Israel so that the two can foster the best possible relations.
Furthermore, I reaffirm my absolute rejection of the barbaric manner in which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conducted relations with the Palestinian people—a pattern of behavior that predates 2023.
I reject these actions for two reasons: because they have been characterized by atrocious violence, and because they aim to prevent the existence of an independent, sovereign Palestinian State—one possessing full rights and powers—in favor of an Israeli colony, which represents the worst possible aggression against a nation.
The following figures reveal the enormous tragedies the Netanyahu government, using the terrorist act of three years ago as a pretext, have inflicted upon the Palestinians.
Israel is responsible for the deaths of 74,000 Palestinians and the wounding of 175,000—almost all of them civilians—according to figures deemed reliable by the UN, the WHO, and HRW. Children account for 36% of the fatalities. In contrast, Israeli military casualties stand at 780 dead and 13,500 wounded. Furthermore, 40% of the wounded are children, who frequently require “urgent surgeries and amputations.” On Netanyahu’s orders, Israeli armed forces have destroyed 134,000 buildings and 328,000 homes in Gaza through bombardment, displacing over 1.9 million people and leaving 1.2 million homeless, according to UN figures.
According to the UN’s OCHA, 210,000 Gaza residents are facing a food emergency, and 1.03 million are suffering from a food crisis. Seventy percent rely on trucked-in water, receiving 6 liters per person daily—far below the 15 liters required during an “international emergency.” The sewage system has collapsed; wastewater treatment plants and 70% of pumping stations are out of service, as are 50% of the hospitals.
Faced with abundant evidence of the savagery of Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against him for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under the Rome Statute, 124 countries—including Colombia—are mandated to arrest him. Meanwhile, the Palestinian State is recognized with full sovereign rights by 157 countries, whereas the United States and Israel—in their profound isolation—find their positions supported by a mere 3 to 12 nations.
In the face of such barbarity, one cannot help but recall the utterly reprehensible atrocities committed by Nazi Germany against the Jewish people, and call for an agreed-upon, democratic resolution to the current crisis—one that enables peaceful coexistence between the two states.
Bogotá, October 10, 2026.
