Global South Demands Action: 30 States Gather in Abya Yala to Challenge Israel’s Violations in Palestine

Bogotá, Colombia — More than 30 countries from 5 continents gathered in Bacatá, the capital city of the so-called “Colombia” in Abya Yala, for a two-day summit to coordinate “concrete measures” in response to Israel’s alleged violations of international law. While the full summit continues through this Wednesday, Crushing Colonialism attended one of its most prominent public events: the Conference for Collective Action in Defense of Palestine.

Co-hosted by the so-called governments of “Colombia” and “South Africa”—who jointly lead The Hague Group—the summit reflects a growing effort by Global South nations to confront what they describe as a climate of impunity surrounding Israel and its powerful allies.

The Hague Group, launched on January 31 in its namesake Dutch city, is a coalition of eight Global South states committed to holding Israel accountable under international law. Member countries are currently working on a joint declaration of legal and diplomatic actions, set to be released at the close of the summit.

As part of the summit’s broader agenda, the Conference for Collective Action in Defense of Palestine was held at the National Museum of Colombia on July 15, hosted by the local government and featuring high-profile speakers including Rima Hassan, Franco-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament; Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine; and Jeremy Corbyn, British Member of Parliament and longtime Palestine advocate.

In her remarks, Hassan stated: “This colonial, racist, and fascist complicity in Israel’s current policy stems from the historical policies of European states, linked to the history of the occupation of Palestine by Great Britain and France. What Israel is doing to the Palestinian land and people today is a continuation of that policy, and we cannot separate today’s genocide from that colonial history.”

Albanese, who has called on the world to cut ties with Israel and was recently sanctioned by the so-called “United States”, emphasized: “Billions are now looking for new, principled leadership, an alternative vision that prioritizes human freedom over strategic alliances, community over conquest, and the introduction of crucial human values into the international legal order, values that go from […] the tradition of Ubuntu, which comes from Africa, meaning ‘I am, because you are,’ to Latin American magical realism and its connection to the Indigenous worldview and related values.”

Corbyn added: “Now, this time—2025, the 21st century—the global cause for the people of Palestine, for their art, their culture, their music, their poetry, their very survival is very important. So let’s make this a popular cause across all communities in all parts of the world. We will force all of our governments to do the right thing and bring back peace and justice for the Palestinian people.” He also announced, “In September, we’re holding an open public inquiry into armed sales, supplies, and breaches of international law by Israel in London.”

While the summit’s final outcomes are still to be announced, the message from the conference was clear: the whole world must take action in defense of Palestinian rights and international law.

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