Israel halts ‘security exports’ over Colombian ‘anti-Semitism’

Colombian President Gustavo Petro on Sunday said if his country has to suspend relations with Israel, he will do it because his government does not support “genocide.” (Reuters/File photo)
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Updated 16 October 2023
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Israel halts ‘security exports’ over Colombian ‘anti-Semitism’

  • Colombia's leftist president, Gustavo Petro, has posted numerous comments on X denouncing Israel's siege of Gaza
  • Colombia’s foreign ministry replaced an earlier statement condemning Hamas' attacks against civilians in Israel with a new one without the word "terrorism"

BOGOTA: Israel, one of the main providers of arms to Colombia’s military, said Sunday it was “halting security exports” to the South American country after taking umbrage at its president’s remarks on the war with Hamas.
Since the militant group’s vicious attack on Israel a week ago, President Gustavo Petro has posted numerous comments on X, formerly Twitter, supporting the people of Gaza.
In one post, Colombia’s first-ever leftist president compared Israel’s retaliatory targeting of Gaza to the Nazi persecution of Jews.
Commenting on Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announcing a “complete siege” of Gaza in a fight against “animals,” Petro said: “This is what the Nazis said of the Jews.”
And he asserted that “democratic peoples cannot allow Nazism to reestablish itself in international politics.”
On Sunday, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said Colombia’s ambassador to Israel Margarita Manjarrez had been summoned over Petro’s “hostile and anti-Semitic statements.”
The president’s statements were received with “astonishment,” said the spokesman, and accused Petro of “expressing support for the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists, fueling anti-Semitism, affecting the representatives of the State of Israel and threatening the peace of the Jewish community in Colombia.”
Colombia’s foreign ministry has issued a statement to “vehemently condemn the terrorism and attacks against civilians that have occurred in Israel” and expressing solidarity with the victims.
The link to that statement was later disabled, with a new statement of condemnation not making any mention of “terrorism.”
Colombia’s armed forces, engaged in a decades-long conflict with leftist guerrillas, rightwing paramilitaries and drug cartels, uses Israeli arms and aircraft.
Under the government of rightwing President Alvaro Uribe, relations and cooperation with Israel and the United States were strong.
In response to Haiat’s statement, Petro said his country does not support “genocide.”
“If we have to suspend foreign relations with Israel, we suspend them,” he added.

 

Opposition parties in Colombia are critical of the government’s response to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which it says stands in marked contrast to the pro-Israeli stance of most countries in the region.
Israel’s envoy to Bogota, Gali Dagan, said last week that protesters had left graffiti that included swastikas on the facade of the embassy.


Hungary PM Orban says Europe cannot finance Ukraine war alone

Updated 1 min 4 sec ago
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Hungary PM Orban says Europe cannot finance Ukraine war alone

  • Viktor Orban: ‘The Americans will quit this war, first of all they will not encourage the war’

BUDAPEST: The United States under the presidency of Donald Trump will “quit” the war in Ukraine and Europe cannot finance this war alone, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told state radio on Friday before an informal summit of EU leaders in Budapest.
“The Americans will quit this war, first of all they will not encourage the war,” Orban said. “Europe cannot finance this war alone ... some still want to continue sending enormous amounts of money into this lost war but the number of those who remain silent ...and those who cautiously voice that we should adjust to the new situation, is growing.”


Saudi agency KSrelief delivers food, hygiene kits in Syria

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria. (SPA)
Updated 4 min 52 sec ago
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Saudi agency KSrelief delivers food, hygiene kits in Syria

  • The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed food and hygiene kits to thousands of vulnerable people across Syria, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.

The agency’s volunteers delivered 750 food parcels and 750 hygiene kits in Al-Hasakah, Syria, benefiting 4,500 people.

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria. (SPA)

Meanwhile 745 Syrian families, comprising 2,652 people, in Al-Dana, Idlib governorate, received food and hygiene kits.

The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria.


Oil Updates – prices fall as Hurricane Rafael expected to start weakening

Updated 5 min 5 sec ago
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Oil Updates – prices fall as Hurricane Rafael expected to start weakening

SINGAPORE: Oil prices fell slightly on Friday as the risk that a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico will significantly affect US oil and gas output declined, while the market weighs how President-elect Donald Trump’s policies might affect supplies.

Brent crude oil futures fell 47 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $75.16 per barrel by 7:46 a.m. Saudi time. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell 55 cents or 0.8 percent to $71.81. The benchmarks fell after rising nearly 1 percent on Thursday.

For the week, Brent is set to gain 3.1 percent while WTI is set to rise 4.1 percent

Hurricane Rafael, which has caused 391,214 barrels per day of US crude oil production to be shut, is expected to move slowly westward over the Gulf of Mexico and away from US fields while forecast to weaken from Friday and through the weekend, the US National Hurricane Center said.

Prices gained support on Thursday on expected actions by the incoming Trump administration such as tighter sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, which could limit their supply to global markets.

“Our core view sees Trump adopt a relatively pragmatic approach to policy, in which he either chooses not to pursue more radical policy shifts, or is held back by institutional constraints or the influence of more moderate policy advisers,” BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note on Friday.

Downward pressure came from data showing crude imports in China, the world’s biggest oil importer, fell 9 percent in October, the sixth consecutive month showing a year-on-year decline, as well as from a rise in US crude inventories.

“The impact (of the Trump administration) on oil market fundamentals in 2025 will likely be somewhat limited,” BMI said. 


Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

Updated 39 min 5 sec ago
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Raphinha’s evolution into a more versatile scorer is a big part of Flick’s great start at Barcelona

BARCELONA: Raphinha knew he would have a hard time getting off Barcelona’s bench with the soccer world enthralled by teen phenom Lamine Yamal and the club eyeing to sign another hot prospect in the attack.

Instead of pouting, he evolved.

While the entire Barcelona team improved under new coach Hansi Flick, no player has made such a leap forward this season as Raphinha.

His 12 goals and team-leading 10 assists across all competitions are a big part of why Barcelona is playing its best soccer since the exit of Lionel Messi more than three years ago.

But if one player looked to be on the out when the season started, it was the Brazil forward.

Raphinha seemed destined to become a second-choice right-side winger after 17-year-old Yamal helped Spain win the European Championship in dazzling style. To make matters worse, the club was heavily linked to a possible transfer bid to pry Spain left-side winger Nico Williams away from Athletic Bilbao.

That move never materialized for Williams, but Raphinha was still left with either playing in a new position or being a backup to Yamal.

And when Flick gave him the chance to have a new role, he made the most of it.


England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

Updated 44 min 8 sec ago
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England gives call-up to more new faces in final squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over

LONDON: Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall were called up to the England squad for the first time on Thursday as interim coach Lee Carsley made his final selection before Thomas Tuchel takes charge.

Tuchel does not start until January after being hired to lead the national team’s bid to win the 2026 World Cup.

Carsley will oversee England’s final Nations League games against Greece and Ireland and has continued to look toward a new generation of players, having already handed debuts to Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White and Noni Madueke since taking over on a temporary basis from Gareth Southgate in August.

Carsley said had not discussed his selection with Tuchel.

“He hasn’t had any influence on the squad selection. I’ve spoken to him by text, but it’s literally congratulations,” he said. “I think he’s highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing.

“We’ve been left to it, like we always have.”

England plays Greece in Athens on Nov. 14 and Ireland at Wembley on Nov. 17.

Carsley will resume his role as England Under-21 coach after those games.