Colombian president Petro voices support for Palestine at UN protest
Colombian President Gustavo Petro joined thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside the United Nations headquarters in New York, calling for stronger international action to end the conflict in Gaza, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
Addressing the crowd on Friday, Petro said his government would present a resolution to the UN to create what he described as an “army for the salvation of the world.” He explained that this multinational force would be tasked with enforcing international justice and would need to be “larger than the US military.”
In an unofficial translation of his remarks, Petro urged soldiers worldwide to serve humanity rather than politics. He appealed to US soldiers in particular not to “point their guns at humanity” and to “obey the orders of humanity.”
The demonstration coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the UN General Assembly. Netanyahu defended Israel’s operations in Gaza and criticized countries that have recognized a Palestinian state.
Petro, who has repeatedly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, severed Colombia’s diplomatic ties with Israel in 2024 and later imposed a ban on coal exports to the country.