Colombian left denounces Israeli military rescue team amid earthquake relief effort

Following the devastating August 10 earthquake, an Israeli civil-defense brigade of 82 members landed in Cali, where spokesman Roni Kaplan shared footage of the team working alongside local firefighters and municipal authorities. Left-wing leaders, including former President Gustavo Petro and Senator Iván Cepeda, condemned the presence, alleging it amounts to military intelligence on Colombian ground and a pretext for normalizing foreign troops.

Kaplan, a reservist and the IDF’s Spanish-language spokesperson, said he lacks rescue training but serves as a translator and liaison, emphasizing the unit’s long history of international deployments. Critics also linked Kaplan to controversial statements during the Gaza war, noting a pending complaint by Uruguayan human-rights groups. The new Colombian administration under President Abelardo de la Espriña has prioritized ties with Israel, recently lifting visa requirements and highlighting Israeli assistance over offers from other nations such as Mexico.