As the Zionist state of Israel made headway in its genocide of Palestinians, although it dithered, the Petro government, took various solidarity actions with Palestine such as deciding not to allow the sale of Colombian coal to Israel. One of the other measures it announced earlier in the midst of the genocide was the suspension of military purchases from Israel. It is worth pointing out that it was he, as president, who revived those contracts through his decision to buy Howitzers from Israel instead of the Caesar from the French company Nexter.[1]
However, Petro announced that he would replace the Israeli made KFir planes as they were old, and difficult and expensive to maintain and opened up negotiations to buy 16 Rafale planes from the French company Dassault.[2] In October of last year, Israel suspended the sale of arms to Colombia,[3] due to the differences and tensions between the two governments.
Now Petro has gone into reverse and announced that he set aside US $ 761,000 for the maintenance of the KFir in addition to the sum from the contract signed in December 2022.[4] Of course this contract is with the Israeli company Israel Aerospace Industries. It openly contradicts his public statements regarding Israel and also regarding the “modernisation” of the Colombian fleet and as El Tiempo points out.
… it is indeed surprising the large financial increase made last September 30th (bold in original) to reactivate the maintenance contract on the aeroplanes. Money that, furthermore, comes in the midst of serious questioning from political groups given the increase in air accidents amongst the Armed Forces.[5]
Barely 25% of the Kfir fleet is in working order at the moment.[6] But its maintenance is an unnecessary expense. The KFir are fighter jets, with the capacity for air to ground attacks and are supposedly needed to protect the country’s infrastructure. But it isn’t true either. More than protect pipelines or other installations from guerrilla attacks they are to repel an attack from neighbouring countries. Their specifications are clear.[7] The last time Colombia went to war with another country was in 1933 and it lost it, along with a significant part of its Amazon territory.
If Petro really wants to demilitarise the country, why does he insist on maintaining a fleet of planes that are not much use? He should give up on the maintenance of the KFir and as was done in another period with the buses in Bogotá, turn them into scrap metal. Also, he should forego an unnecessary military expense in a country with so many needs. Are there not schools, hospitals and universities to be built or equipped?
And where is the solidarity with Palestine that he has so often proclaimed? If breaking off relations with Israel and suspending military contracts in the name of solidarity is a good idea, then it is a good idea at all times and more so now when there can be no doubt that Israel is a genocidal state and every dollar that its arms industry receives is another bomb falling on Gaza or an attack on Lebanon. Cheap talk is costly to the Palestinians, but also to Colombians who see how his proposal to demilitarise society has come to nought. He did not abolish the ESMAD (specialised riot squad), as he promised, nor the obligatory military service, rather they now propose an obligatory social service for those who refuse to carry out military service. If the rich can’t have youths to fight their wars, at least they will have cheap or free labour through this supposed social service. It is worth remembering that in Spain military service was defeated by a campaign that also defeated the alternative social service. Neither cannon fodder nor slaves.
It is time to be coherent. What does Petro want? Solidarity with Palestine or war planes? He can’t have both. The demilitarisation of society or a social service in addition to military service? It is one thing or the other.
[1] Defense News (06/01/2023) Colombia picks Elbit’s Atmos howitzer over Nexter’s Caesar. José Higuera.
[2] Defense News (23/12/2023) Colombia begins negotiations to buy 16 Rafale fighter jets. José Higuera.
[3] Defense News (18/10/2023) Israel suspends defense sales to Colombia. José Higuera.
[4] El Tiempo (02/10/2024) Gobierno del presidente Petro le acaba de dar 761 mil dólares a empresa israelí para los aviones Kfir, pese a ruptura diplomática. Rafael Quintero Cerón.
[5] Ibíd.,
[6] Infodefensa (04/03/2024) Colombia solo opera el 25 % de su flota de aviones Kfir. Erich Saumeth.
[7] National Interest (13/09/2024) Kfir: The Fighter Jet From Israel That Was Feared By Every Air Force. Brandon J. Weichert.
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