Claudia Sheinbaum on Israel

Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico's first female president and of Jewish descent, maintains a diplomatic position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict characterized by strong support for a two-state solution and sharp criticism of Israeli military action in Gaza. She has, for instance, explicitly referred to the Israeli assault on Gaza as a genocide, aligning with Mexico's support for cases brought before international courts. Her stance generally follows a diplomatic tradition of seeking peaceful resolution, though it contrasts with the more concrete diplomatic actions taken by some other progressive regional leaders.

Her approach involves a tightrope walk, balancing the humanitarian concern for Palestinian rights with Mexico's existing diplomatic and economic ties, which include arms and technology procurement from Israel. While her past statements have shown horror at the killing of children and she has engaged with pro-Israel organizations as Mayor of Mexico City, her more recent rhetoric has been forceful in condemning the violence in Gaza, suggesting an evolution toward a more vocal defense of Palestinian rights under domestic and international pressure. She has also taken action to refuse full membership in a US-led peace board because Palestine was not represented.