La Paz, Bolivia (AFP) – Bolivia announced this Tuesday, October 31, the breaking of diplomatic relations with Israel in “repudiation” of the offensive it is carrying out in the Gaza Strip after the attack by the Islamist group Hamas on October 7. The first decision of this nature in the Latin American region was welcomed by the Islamist group, while Israel has not yet commented.
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The government of leftist Luis Arce is the first in Latin America to cut ties with Israel since the conflict escalated, leaving thousands dead since October 7.
Bolivia “has made the determination to break diplomatic relations with the State of Israel in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive being carried out in the Gaza Strip,” said the vice chancellor, Freddy Mamani.
Since the attacks of the Palestinian Islamist movement in Israel, that left more than 1,400 dead, the Israeli military response in the Gaza Strip has left more than 8,500 deadmany of these children, according to the health authorities of the Palestinian territory.
We are sending this official communication to the State of Israel, in which we make known our decision (…) to break diplomatic relations, said the Minister of the Presidency, María Nela Prada, during the same conference.
Likewise, he pointed out that Bolivia demands the “cessation of attacks” in the Gaza Strip “which have so far caused thousands of civilian deaths and the forced displacement of Palestinians,” he noted.
Government He also announced the sending of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.
Hamas welcomes decision
In their statement, the authorities did not mention the violent Hamas raid, in which 240 people were also taken hostage, including many foreigners, according to Israeli authorities.
No Bolivian appears on the list.
This same Tuesday, The Islamist group Hamas, in a statement, welcomed Bolivia’s announcement, expressing its “great esteem.” for the decision he made against the Government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and urged “the Arab countries that have normalized their relations” with Israel to do the same.
The Israeli Government has not commented at this time.
In the past, Bolivia had already broken diplomatic relations with Israel, which date back to 1969.
In 2009, the government of indigenous leader Evo Morales—a former ally of Arce—made the same determination over an Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip.
Bolivia resumed relations a decade later by order of the right-wing president Jeanine Áñezwho replaced Morales in power in the midst of a severe internal crisis.
During his statement this Tuesday, Prada – who spoke as acting foreign minister – said that the Government “shares” the condemnation of the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, regarding the situation in Gaza.
“At the same time, we call for dialogue and structural solutions that respect life, to avoid further escalation of the conflict,” he added.
Discontent among the region’s leaders
Also this Tuesday, the president of Chile, Gabriel Boric, called his ambassador in Israel for consultations “in the face of the unacceptable violations of International Humanitarian Law” that that country is carrying out in the Gaza Strip.
“Chile strongly condemns and observes with great concern… these military operations,” Boric wrote in a post on social media platform X.
Given the unacceptable violations of International Humanitarian Law that Israel has incurred in the Gaza Strip, as the Government of Chile we have resolved to call the Chilean ambassador to Israel, Jorge Carvajal, to Santiago for consultations.
Chile strongly condemns and observes…
— Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) October 31, 2023
A few weeks ago, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, also warned of a possible suspension of relations with Israel. “We do not support genocides,” the president published. However, the president later lowered his spirits by meeting with both the ambassador of Israel and the ambassador of the Palestinian Territories.
AFP
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