By The newspaper
31 Oct 2023, 8:20 PM EDT
Bolivia officially severed diplomatic relations with Israel in response to the ongoing conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The leftist government of President Luis Arce attributes this historic move to its concerns about alleged war crimes and human rights abuses occurring in the Gaza Strip.
The decision, announced during a press conference in La Paz, the de facto capital of Bolivia, is the first of its kind and has sparked international attention, according to The Guardian.
Bolivia’s position on the conflict with Hamas
María Nela Prada, a minister in President Arce’s administration, made the official announcement at the press conference, emphasizing her demand for an immediate end to attacks on the Gaza Strip.
The minister highlighted that these attacks have caused the loss of thousands of civilian lives and the forced displacement of Palestinians. Bolivia’s decision to cut ties with Israel represents a significant stance against the ongoing conflict.
Bolivia’s decision to cut diplomatic relations with Israel is not without precedent. In 2009, the country took a similar step following the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. Relations were later restored in 2020 during the term of right-wing president Jeanine Áñez. Now, under the leadership of President Arce, Bolivia is once again taking a decisive stance.
The international community has been closely following Bolivia’s decision, which is generating mixed reactions. Former President Evo Morales had previously called for severing ties with Israel, calling it a “terrorist state” and urging that Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, be referred to the international criminal court for genocide and war crimes. .
Given the horrific situation suffered by the Palestinian people, we once again demand the following from the Bolivian government:
1. Break diplomatic relations with the State of Israel.
2. Declare the State of Israel as a terrorist State.
3. Present before the Criminal Court… pic.twitter.com/HzGE73eSPn— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) October 20, 2023
This move by Bolivia joins a growing chorus of criticism in South America. Colombian President Gustavo Petro compared Israel’s actions to those of Adolf Hitler’s Nazis, prompting a strong rebuke from Israel’s Foreign Ministry, which accused him of making hostile and anti-Semitic statements that could endanger Jewish lives.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also expressed concern, criticizing the Israeli prime minister for his actions in Gaza and emphasizing the suffering of innocent civilians, especially women and children, during the conflict.
Bolivia’s decision to cut ties with Israel adds a new dimension to the international response to the Gaza conflict, highlighting the urgency of addressing the humanitarian crisis in the region.
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