Nicaragua announced on Friday that it is severing diplomatic relations with Israel, labeling the Israeli government as “fascist” and “genocidal.” This decision comes in response to Israel’s military actions against Palestinian territories, which the Nicaraguan government condemned in an official statement.
Earlier in the day, Nicaragua’s congress passed a resolution urging the government to take action on the one-year anniversary of the Gaza war. The Nicaraguan government further asserted that the conflict has expanded to include threats against Lebanon and poses serious risks to Syria, Yemen, and Iran.
Heightened tensions in Middle East
The announcement occurs amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, particularly following Iran’s missile strikes on Israel on October 1. Iran, a key ally of Nicaragua and the administration of President Daniel Ortega, supports the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, which has been targeted in a series of recent Israeli attacks.
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Nicaragua’s growing alignment with Iran and its increasingly hostile stance towards Israel reflect its isolation on the global stage. President Ortega’s administration has faced criticism for its crackdown on anti-government protests in 2018, which resulted in approximately 300 fatalities according to human rights organisations.
