The United Nations’s particular rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory has mentioned that it’s time for nations world wide to take concrete actions to cease Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza.
Francesca Albanese spoke to delegates from 30 international locations assembly in Colombia’s capital, Bogota, on Tuesday to debate Israel’s brutal assault and methods nations can attempt to cease the offensive within the besieged enclave.
Most of the taking part nations have described Israel’s battle on Gaza as a genocide towards the Palestinians.
Greater than 58,000 folks have been killed since Israel launched the assault in October 2023, in accordance with Palestinian well being authorities. Israeli forces have additionally imposed a number of complete blockades on the territory all through the battle, pushing Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to the brink of hunger.
“Every state should instantly evaluation and droop all ties with the State of Israel … and guarantee its non-public sector does the identical,” Albanese mentioned. “The Israeli economic system is structured to maintain the occupation that has now turned genocidal.”
A Palestinian boy queues for a portion of scorching meals distributed by a charity kitchen on the Nuseirat refugee camp within the central Gaza Strip on July 15, 2025 [Eyad Baba/AFP]
Colombia, South Africa lead talks on Israel’s brutal offensive
The 2-day convention organised by Colombia and South Africa is being attended largely by growing nations, though Spain, Eire and China have additionally despatched delegates.
The convention is co-chaired by South Africa and Colombia, which final yr suspended coal exports to Israeli energy vegetation. It consists of the participation of members of The Hague Group, a coalition of eight international locations that earlier this yr pledged to chop army ties with Israel and adjust to an Worldwide Legal Court docket arrest warrant towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
For many years, South Africa’s governing African Nationwide Congress occasion has in contrast Israel’s insurance policies in Gaza and the West Financial institution with its personal historical past of oppression beneath the cruel apartheid regime of white minority rule, which restricted most Black folks to areas referred to as “homelands”, earlier than ending in 1994.
The gathering comes because the European Union weighs numerous measures towards Israel, which embrace a ban on imports from unlawful Israeli settlements, an arms embargo and particular person sanctions towards Israeli officers who’re discovered to be blocking a peaceable answer to the battle.
Colombian Vice Minister for Overseas Affairs Mauricio Jaramillo mentioned on Monday that the nations taking part within the Bogota assembly, which additionally embrace Qatar and Turkiye, can be discussing diplomatic and judicial measures to place extra stress on Israel to stop its assaults.
The Colombian official described Israel’s conduct within the Gaza Strip and the West Financial institution as an affront to the worldwide order.
“This isn’t nearly Palestine,” Jaramillo mentioned in a information convention. “It’s about defending worldwide legislation and the proper to self-determination.”
Particular rapporteur Albanese’s feedback echoed remarks she made earlier on Tuesday addressed to the EU. The bloc’s overseas ministers had been assembly in Brussels to debate attainable motion towards Israel.
In a sequence of posts on X, Albanese wrote that the EU is “legally certain” to droop its affiliation settlement with Israel, citing its obligations beneath worldwide legislation.
Albanese mentioned the EU will not be solely Israel’s prime buying and selling accomplice but in addition its prime funding accomplice, practically double the dimensions of the US, and “commerce with an economic system inextricably tied to occupation, apartheid and genocide is complicity”.
