Title: Bolivia Severs Diplomatic Ties with Israel Over Gaza Conflict

In a significant move, Bolivia has officially severed its diplomatic relations with Israel due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Concurrently, two other Latin American countries recalled their ambassadors from Tel Aviv for consultations in a display of solidarity. The decision to cut diplomatic ties with the Israeli state was announced by Freddy Mamani, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, who strongly condemned the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip during a press conference.

Bolivia’s Prime Minister, Maria Nela Prada, also declared the nation’s commitment to sending humanitarian aid to Gaza. She emphasized the urgent need to halt the ongoing attacks in Gaza, which have already resulted in thousands of civilian casualties and the forced displacement of Palestinians. Bolivia’s decision to take this stance is a clear expression of solidarity with the Palestinian cause and a strong denouncement of the violence taking place in the region.

In response to Bolivia’s action, Israel accused Bolivia of capitulating to terrorism and of aligning itself with the Ayatollah regime in Iran. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement attempting to downplay the significance of Bolivia’s decision, asserting that the relations between the two countries had been devoid of substance since Luis Arce assumed the presidency.

Hamas, the group governing the besieged Gaza Strip, welcomed Bolivia’s decision and called upon other Arab nations that have normalized relations with Tel Aviv to follow suit. In a show of solidarity, neighboring countries Colombia and Chile also recalled their ambassadors for consultations. Both nations strongly condemned the loss of civilian lives in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Historically, Latin American countries have often aligned with one side or the other based on their political leanings. Left-leaning nations in the region have traditionally sympathized with the Palestinian cause, while right-leaning countries have tended to follow the United States’ lead in supporting Israel.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric, in a social media post, accused Israel of unacceptable violations of international humanitarian law and a policy of collective punishment against the population of Gaza when announcing the recall of Ambassador Jorge Carvajal. Chile is home to one of the largest and oldest Palestinian communities outside the Arab world.

Similarly, Colombian President Gustavo Petro referred to the attacks as a “massacre” among the Palestinian people in his own social media post. Several other Latin American countries, including Mexico and Brazil, have also called for an immediate ceasefire and expressed concern over the ongoing violence in Gaza.

It is important to note that this is not the first time Bolivia has severed diplomatic ties with Israel over the Gaza conflict. In 2009, Bolivia took a similar step in protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza. The diplomatic relations were only restored in 2020.

The current Israeli-Gaza conflict was sparked by an unprecedented attack on Israel by the armed group Hamas, resulting in the deaths of 1,400 people and the capture of approximately 240 individuals. Among the casualties were at least 13 civilians from various Latin American countries, with an additional 21 reported as missing. The current Israeli war in Gaza has claimed the lives of at least 8,525 Palestinians.

The Gaza Strip is home to approximately 2.3 million people, and United Nations officials have reported that more than 1.4 million of them have been made homeless due to Israel’s relentless bombardment.

Source: [StarNews](insert source link)