Colombia breaks diplomatic ties with Israel but its military relies on key Israeli-built equipment

Colombia has become the latest Latin American country to announce it will break diplomatic relations with Israel over its military campaign in Gaza. But the repercussions for the South American nation could be broader than for other countries because of longstanding bilateral agreements over security matters. Colombian President Gustavo Petro has described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide” and announced his government would end diplomatic relations with Israel effective Thursday. But he didn’t address how his decision could affect Colombia’s military and a free trade agreement between both countries that went into effect in 2020. The country’s armed forces use Israeli-built warplanes and machine guns to fight drug cartels and rebel groups.