During an international conference hosted by the Colombian capital, Bogota, with representatives from 30 countries participating on Tuesday, Albanese said, "Every country must immediately review and suspend all forms of relations with the occupying state, including private sector relations, because the Israeli economy is based on supporting the occupation, which has become a systematic act of genocide."
Representatives of several governments attended the meeting, including Spain, Ireland, China, Turkey, and Qatar. South Africa and Colombia, the two countries that suspended coal exports to Israeli power plants last year, participated as conference co-chairs.
The meeting is part of growing international efforts to hold Israel accountable for its crimes against the Palestinians. European countries, including the European Union, are considering a ban on the import of illegal settlement products, an arms embargo, and individual sanctions against Israeli officials accused of obstructing peace efforts.
In a statement during the conference, Colombian Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo said: "What is happening is not limited to Palestine. It is a threat to the international order, human rights law, and the values of self-determination."
This comes as Israel, with US support, has been committing genocide in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, leaving more than 197,000 Palestinians dead and wounded. This coincides with a bloody and devastating military aggression against the occupied West Bank, which has resulted in nearly 1,000 martyrs and more than 7,000 Palestinian injuries.
