World News
Bolivia cuts ties with Israel over Gaza
Nov 02, 2023
La Paz [Bolivia], November 2: Bolivia on Tuesday severed diplomatic relations with Israel over its attacks on the Gaza Strip. The South American country decided to "break diplomatic ties" with Israel as a "repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive being carried out in the Gaza Strip and which threatens international peace and security," the Bolivian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. At the same time, it called for an end to the attacks on the Gaza Strip. The statement was issued after President Luis Arce met with Palestinian Ambassador to Bolivia Mahmoud Elalwani. Former Bolivian president Evo Morales had criticized the government's position and as he called for the severance of relations with Israel before the move. Israel and Bolivia had only agreed to resume diplomatic relations and expand cooperation in 2020. In 2009, leftist Morales had broken off ties to Israel due to the country's military action in the Gaza Strip. Chile and Colombia meanwhile recalled their ambassadors to Israel citing the country's military operation in Gaza. "Chile strongly condemns the military operation in the Gaza Strip and notes with great concern that this operation, which constitutes a collective punishment of the Palestinian civilian population, does not respect the fundamental norms of international law," a Chilean Foreign Ministry statement said. Colombia's President Gustavo Petro wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that he recalled his ambassador to Israel for a meeting. (dpa)
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