Bolivia cuts diplomatic relations with Israel due to the conflict in Gaza

 Bolivia cuts diplomatic relations with Israel due to the conflict in Gaza

Bolivia, citing "aggressive and disproportionate" military operations in Gaza, has severed diplomatic relations with Israel, making it the first nation in Latin America to do so.

The nation said it would be sending help to the blockaded Gaza Strip and demanded a truce.

The action was described as "a surrender to terrorism" by an Israeli official.

The Bolivian government has been accused by Lior Haiat of "aligning himself with the Hamas terrorist organization".

According to Freddy Mamani, Bolivia's deputy foreign minister, the government decided to sever relations "in repudiation and rejection of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli combat offensive taking place in the Gaza Strip".

"The entry of food, water, and other essential elements for life" was being prevented by Israel's embargo, he said, adding that the nation wanted it to cease.

For weeks, Gaza has been under Israeli blockade, and civilians have only sometimes been able to get life-saving supplies via Egypt's Rafah border.

"Israel condemns Bolivia's encouragement of terrorism and its submitting to the Iranian regime, which attest to the values the leadership of Bolivia represents," Mr. Haiat said.

Iran has been charged with helping Hamas carry out the October 7 assault. Iran's authorities have acknowledged and applauded the violence, but they have denied any role in it.

Not only Bolivia, but several nations in Latin America have started to pursue diplomatic relations with Israel.

Gabriel Boric, the president of Chile, indicated on Tuesday that, "in light of the intolerable violations of humanitarian law around the world that Israel endured in the Gaza Strip," the ambassador of Chile would be called back for discussions.

"Chile strongly condemns and detects with great concern that these combative actions - which at this point in their course of action entail collective punishment of the Palestinian civilians who live in Gaza," he said on X, which used to be Twitter.

On social media, President Gustavo Petro of Colombia made a similar declaration.

"I have decided to call our diplomatic representative in Israel for consultation," Petro stated. He added that "if Israel does not stop the genocide of the Palestinian people we cannot be there."

A ceasefire was recommended by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil. Lula said on X that "we are seeing, for the initially time, a war in which the majority of those killed are children...," in response to news of a fresh Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Quit! Stop, for God's sake!"

3,500 children are among the 8,500 war dead in Gaza that the Hamas-run health ministry has revealed. The bulk of the casualties are adults.

Since the October 7th Hamas onslaught, which resulted in 1,400 deaths and at least 239 hostages, Israel has been bombarding Gaza.

Charity organizations caution that the 66 vehicles that the US stated on Tuesday were able to deliver assistance inside Gaza would not be sufficient.

Prior to the conflict, over 500 trucks would enter Gaza every day, according to Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa).

Bolivia and Israel just reestablished diplomatic ties in 2019. In 2009, under the administration of President Evo Morales, it had severed relations with the nation once again in protest of Israel's activities in Gaza.

President Luis Arce of Bolivia called Israel's actions in Gaza "war crimes" on Monday, September X, during a meeting with Mahmoud Elalwani, the Palestinian envoy to Bolivia.