Several Latin American countries governed by the left – such as Bolivia, Colombia and Chile – are rethinking their ties with Israel with measures ranging from breaking relations to calling their ambassadors, following the bombings in Palestinian territory, actions which they consider a violation of International Law.

Bolivia announced on Tuesday that it was breaking diplomatic relations with Israel following what it considers an “aggressive and disproportionate military offensive” against the population of the Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the vice chancellor, Freddy Mamani Machaca, indicated that his Government “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.” .

Immediately afterwards, Chile decided to call its ambassador to Israel, Jorge Carvajal, for consultations due to the “unacceptable violations of International Humanitarian Law that Israel has incurred in the Gaza Strip.”

“Chile strongly condemns and observes with great concern that these military operations – which at this point in their development entail collective punishment of the Palestinian civilian population in Gaza – do not respect fundamental norms of International Law,” the government said in a statement. .

And shortly after, it was the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, who called his ambassador in Israel, Margarita Manjarrez, for consultations about “the massacre of the Palestinian people” that he says that country is committing.

“I have decided to call our ambassador to Israel for consultation. If Israel does not stop the massacre of the Palestinian people, we cannot be there,” the president said in a message published on X (formerly Twitter).

Isarel accuses Chile and Colombia of supporting Hamas

The reaction from Tel Aviv has not been long in coming. This Wednesday, Israel accused Chile and Colombia of “supporting Hamas terrorism” after calling their respective ambassadors in the Jewish State for consultations over the Israeli offensive on Gaza, and accused them of aligning “with Venezuela and Iran in support of the Hamas terrorism.

“Israel hopes that Colombia and Chile will support the right of a democratic country to protect its citizens and demand the immediate release of those kidnapped” in Gaza, and “that they will not align with Venezuela and Iran in supporting Hamas terrorism,” he said. a spokesperson for the Israeli Foreign Ministry, in the country's first reaction to the steps taken today by the two Latin American countries.

The United States, Israel's great ally in the world, announced that it will explain to the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu the need to respect the laws of war.

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, will convey to the Israeli authorities on his new trip to the country next Friday the need to respect the laws of war and do everything possible to minimize civilian damage, the spokesperson indicated this Wednesday. of your Department, Matthew Miller.

“As he has done previously and as the president (Joe Biden) has also done, he will speak directly to the Israeli Government about our expectation that, in launching and carrying out its military campaign, it will do so in full compliance with the law.” international humanitarian and the laws of war. He will be very direct about it,” he said in his daily press conference.

The diplomatic measures in response to the bombings in Gaza have also generated cross-border reactions in Latin American countries.

The Delegation of Argentine Israeli Associations (DAIA) questioned this Wednesday the Argentine Government's decision to condemn the Israeli attack on a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip and has asked to differentiate itself from the “pusillanimous positions of some countries in the region.”

The DAIA, the body of political expression of the Jewish community in Argentina, has said that it “condemns the criticism expressed by the Argentine Foreign Ministry towards Israel for its military response to the criminal terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7”, and has referred to the “right to the defense that a democratic State has in the face of the brutal attack in which more than 1,400 people were murdered, thousands were injured and 239” people were kidnapped, of which “21 are Argentines.”

Meanwhile, in Bolivia, political scientist Franklin Pareja, a researcher at the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (UMSA), in La Paz, believes that with the cutting of diplomatic relations with Israel, the South American country is getting closer to several of its political partners and trade in the Middle East and Asia, while distancing it from Western countries.

Hamas thanks Bolivia for breaking relations

The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which de facto governs the Gaza Strip, has welcomed the decision of the Government of Bolivia to break diplomatic relations with Israel and described it as a “brave” stance.. Likewise, he thanked the Governments of Colombia and Chile for withdrawing their ambassadors from Israel.

And the expressions of condemnation for the bombings of the Palestinian territories continued in several Latin American foreign ministries.

The Chilean Government has expressed this Wednesday “its deep regret” for the death of officials of the United Nations and its agencies as a consequence of the Israeli military operations in Gaza and has conveyed its condolences to the families of the victims, in the midst of the escalation diplomatic with Israel.

After the bombing on Tuesday in the north of the Gaza Strip, which killed at least 145 people, the Chilean president, Gabriel Boric, a renowned defender of the Palestinian cause, has condemned the attacks carried out by Israel and called the Chilean ambassador for consultations. in Tel Aviv, José Carvajal.

And for its part, Peru has expressed its deep concern about the worsening of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and has condemned the attacks carried out by the Israel Defense Forces against the Jabalia refugee camp, north of Gaza, which It has caused hundreds of deaths.

In an official statement released by the Foreign Ministry, the Peruvian Government reiterated that it “condemns and will condemn violence wherever it comes from.”