An Israeli flag outside the nation’s embassy in Colombia was set ablaze by pro-Palestinian protesters.
And, following the act on October 8, the embassy in Bogotá was vandalized with offensive graffiti, including a swastika, a Jewish star and the word “terror” written in Hebrew.
The perpetrators also spray-painted slogans such as “Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine” and “free Palestine” on the exterior walls.
This incident occurred as part of a broader wave of protests and demonstrations across the world, spurred by the recent hostilities between Israel and Hamas.
The vandalism has been widely condemned by diplomatic representatives and the international community, while reactions within Colombia itself have varied.
Gali Dagan, Israel’s Ambassador to Colombia, expressed his anger through a tweet. He wrote: “Look at ‘the solidarity’ we receive below at the [Embassy] facilities.” His tweet was accompanied by photos of the graffiti.
Israel received solidarity from diplomatic representatives in Colombia.
The European Union Ambassador to Colombia, Gilles Bertrand, responded to Dagan’s tweet, saying: “All my solidarity, dear Gali. Such a gesture of hatred is incomprehensible at any time, and it is even more so after yesterday’s horrible attacks.”
Joaquín de Arístegui, Spain’s Ambassador to Colombia, described the graffiti as a “barbaric gesture, doubly aberrant after yesterday’s attacks”.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombia issued a strong statement on Twitter, writing: “We emphatically condemn the anti-Semitic vandalism suffered by @IsraelinCol and reiterate our support for Israel in the face of Hamas’ atrocious terrorist attacks.”
British Ambassador George Hodgson condemned the incident, referring to it as “totally unacceptable”.
On Wednesday, the Embassy was further vandalized with graffiti. One of the slogans painted on the ground said “Gays against Zionism.” The “S” in the word Zionism was replaced with a swastika.
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