The Israeli Foreign Ministry summoned Mexico's ambassador in Tel Aviv on Thursday for a reprimand after protesters wrote "Death to Israel" on its embassy building in Mexico City.
The protesters are demanding Israel extradite a former Mexican official accused of crimes related to human rights violations and embezzlement of funds.
The Times of Israel news website said that the Israeli embassy in Mexico City was vandalized by demonstrators calling on Israel to extradite a former senior official wanted in connection with the disappearance of 43 students in 2014.
The website added that the demonstrators defaced the embassy, including writing the slogan "Death to Israel," noting that Tel Aviv summoned the Mexican ambassador after the incident.
"We are looking at this issue very seriously, and we expect Mexico to fulfill its international obligations," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told Al-Monitor.
Zeron is accused of crimes related to human rights violations and embezzlement of funds (Reuters - Archive)
The spokesman pointed out that the demonstrators are demanding the extradition of the former head of the Mexican Criminal Investigation Agency, Thomas Zeron, who is currently in Israel and is seeking asylum, as he faces allegations of serious irregularities surrounding the investigation into one of the worst human rights tragedies in the country, as well as accusations of torture and embezzlement.
He added that Zyron is wanted for undermining the investigation into the disappearance of 43 students in 2014, and he is also accused of embezzling more than $50 million and torturing suspects.
And the Israeli website added that the Mexican accused fled his country after reopening the mass kidnapping case, after the election of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in 2018, and he has been in Israel since then and has sought asylum.
Mexico had previously formally requested Israel to extradite Zyron last year, but Tel Aviv did not respond to this request.