Honduras has joined other Latin American countries in recalling its ambassador to Israel for consultations while it strongly condemns the alleged genocide and other serious violations of international law taking place in the Gaza Strip.
The country’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Eduardo Enrique Reina, stated that President Xiomara Castro made the decision due to “the serious humanitarian situation the civilian Palestinian population is suffering in the Gaza Strip.”
Honduras is the latest leftist-led Latin American government to take diplomatic action in response to Israel’s expanded offensive.
Bolivia’s government ended its diplomatic relations with Israel on Tuesday, claiming that Israel committed “crimes against humanity” in Gaza.
Chile and Colombia also withdrew their ambassadors from Israel and condemned Israel’s offensive against Hamas militants.
The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza reported that the Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 9,227. In Israel, over 1,400 people have been killed, with the majority of deaths occurring in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that initiated the conflict while the militant group took 242 hostages from Israel into Gaza.
Reina informed The Associated Press that the decision to recall the ambassador was made in order to bring attention to the civilian situation in Gaza, stating that the government has decided to withdraw the ambassador until the situation becomes clearer.
He noted, however, that relations with Israel are still stable and the embassy will continue to have Honduran diplomats and staff present.
Reina also highlighted the key aspects of a recent United Nations resolution, which include the urgent need for a cease-fire, adherence to humanitarian law, and the initiation of a dialogue to pursue peace.
“It is a position to say, in a way, that the situation of the innocent population concerns us,” Reina said.
In 2021, Honduras relocated its embassy to the disputed city of Jerusalem while Juan Orlando Hernández was serving as the President. However, Hernández is currently awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges in the United States.
The decision at the time was perceived as an effort by Hernández to gain favor with the Trump administration, which had previously moved the US embassy to Jerusalem in 2018.
A leftist, Castro assumed the presidency following the exit of Hernández. As the first female president of Honduras, she has attempted to strike a balance that aligns with other leftist governments in the region, such as Venezuela and Cuba, while also maintaining a positive relationship with the United States.
