Several countries recall envoys from Israel

Nov 02, 2023 News

…Bolivia cut economic, diplomatic ties

Kaieteur News – Bolivia has cut official ties with Israel over the war in Gaza.

At the same time, Jordan, Chile and Colombia have recalled their ambassadors from Israel as the latter continues to bombard Gaza.

Other Latin American countries, including Argentina and Brazil, have also increased their criticism of the impact that Israel’s military operations are having on civilians, ABC reported on Wednesday.

According to a Al Jazeera report, Bolivia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Freddy Mamani said at a press conference on Tuesday night that the country “decided to break diplomatic relations with the Israeli state in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive taking place in the Gaza Strip.”

Minister of the Presidency, Maria Nela Prada also announced the country would send humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“We demand an end to the attacks” in the Gaza Strip “which have so far caused thousands of civilian deaths and the forced displacement of Palestinians,” she said at the same press conference.

Al Jazeera reported that Colombia and Chile also recalled their ambassadors for consultations condemning the deaths of civilians in Gaza and calling for a ceasefire. Chile has the largest, and one of the oldest, Palestinian communities outside the Arab world.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric accused Israel of “unacceptable violations of International Humanitarian Law” and following a policy of “collective punishment” of the people of Gaza, as he announced the recall of Ambassador Jorge Carvajal via X, formerly Twitter.

The report said Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the attacks a “massacre of the Palestinian people” on X.

The Financial Times reported that Jordan on Wednesday recalled its ambassador from Israel in protest at the “humanitarian catastrophe” caused by its war with Hamas in Gaza.

The Jordanian foreign ministry said its envoy would only return once Israel “stopped its war on Gaza” and resolved “the humanitarian crisis it has caused”.

The report said the kingdom, which was the second Arab state to establish relations with Israel, added that it had directed Israel not to return its own ambassador to Jordan, who had previously left the country, until the same conditions were met.

On Wednesday, Israel accused Bolivia of “capitulation to terrorism and to the ayatollah regime in Iran”.

In a statement, the foreign ministry also sought to play down Bolivia’s decision, saying “relations between the countries had been devoid of content anyway” since Luis Arce was sworn in as president.

Al Jazeera said Hamas, the group running the besieged Gaza Strip, welcomed Bolivia’s decision and urged Arab countries that have normalised their relations with Tel Aviv to do the same.

Bolivia is among the first of nations to announce the end of diplomatic relations with Israel over its war in Gaza, which came after armed group Hamas launched an unprecedented assault on Israel killing 1,400 people and taking some 240 people captive. At least 13 citizens from several Latin American countries were among the dead, and some 21 more remain missing.

Bolivia previously cut diplomatic ties with Israel in 2009, also in protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza. Relations were only restored in 2020.

At least 8,525 Palestinians have now been killed in Israel’s current war in Gaza, Al Jazeera reported.

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Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Gaza, Jordan, ties

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