Andrew Rosati and Oscar Medina, Bloomberg News

RIO/BOGOTA
EnergiesNet.com 11 01 2023

Latin America’s leftist leaders are reevaluating their relations with Israel over its offensive in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the diplomatic risks posed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bid to eradicate Hamas.

On Tuesday, Colombia and Chile recalled their ambassadors to Israel for consultations to protest the country’s attacks on Gaza. The hard-left government of Bolivia cut off diplomatic relations with Israel altogether, accusing it of “crimes against humanity.”

Israel’s attacks on Gaza “don’t respect the fundamental rules of international law,” Chilean President Gabriel Boric said in a post on X. Colombia President Gustavo Petro, an outspoken critic of Israel in the past, called the offensive “a massacre.”

The diplomatic moves signaled that the three Latin American nations were joining many Muslim nations including Turkey and Malaysia in criticizing Israel. On Wednesday, Jordan recalled its ambassador to protest the war. 

Netanyahu’s government has remained undeterred, saying Hamas poses an existential threat in the wake of an Oct. 7 attack that killed 1,400 Israelis. Hamas is designated a terrorist group by the US and the European Union.

In posts on X, Israel Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said Bolivia’s decision to cut ties is a “surrender to terrorism.” Haiat called on Colombia and Chile to “explicitly condemn the Hamas terrorist organization, which slaughtered and abducted babies, children, women and the elderly.”

“Israel expects Colombia and Chile to support the right of a democratic country to protect its citizens,” Haiat wrote.

The decisions of Chile and Colombia to step up their criticism against Israel come only hours before Boric and Petro are expected to meet US President Joe Biden in Washington for a regional summit. Biden has argued Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, while also saying Netanyahu must avoid civilian casualties.

Israel Latest: Jordan Recalls Ambassador to Israel as a Protest

Brazil, Mexico and Argentina, the three largest countries in the region which are also run by leftists, have taken a more tempered approach as they’ve evacuated citizens from the region and tried to deescalate the conflict. Still, they have not shied from criticizing Israel’s response.

Lula denounced Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack as an “act of terrorism,” but last week said Israel’s action in Gaza “was not a war, but a genocide.” Brazil, which held the monthlong presidency of the UN Security Council in October when the conflict broke, put forth a resolution calling for a pause in the conflict to allow humanitarian aid access to Gaza. But the US vetoed it.

Argentina, home of one of the largest Jewish communities outside of Israel, has been in talks with Israel and some Arab nations to try to release 21 Argentines who remain among the hostages held by Hamas.

–With assistance from Simone Iglesias and Eric Martin.

bloomberg.com 11 01 2023