Wiesenthal Center Repudiates the Recalls of the Ambassadors of Chile and Colombia in Israel

November 1, 2023

Buenos Aires - In a clearly coordinated action, the governments of Colombia and Chile called their respective ambassadors in Israel for consultation, as a method of protest against the actions in Gaza.

Without having shown the slightest sensitivity for the horrific events that the world experienced on October 7th, nor condemning the more than 200 hostages who are still in Hamas captivity, Presidents Boric and Petro took this strong diplomatic decision.
 

Presidents of Chile and Colombia, Boric and Petro
 
Both leaders have always been hostile towards Israel and both have a history of diplomatic disagreements with representatives of the Jewish State.

Also today, the official statement from the Secretary General of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) was released, urging states to protect their Jewish populations in times of a unprecedented rise of Antisemitism in the world.
 

IHRA Secretary General Kathrin Meyer
 
In one of her paragraphs, Secretary General Kathrin Meyer says: “With all cornerstones of Jewish life and identity under threat of attack, even in countries with negligible Jewish populations, Jewish people increasingly hide their identities for fear of being physically assaulted. The protection of Jewish schools, community centers, and synagogues is no longer a precautionary measure, but a response to firebombing, riots, and the hate-filled intentions of antisemites, professed on social media and graffitied across building facades. Around the world, those blaming Jews for Israel’s actions seek to push Jewish people out of their respective societies, and increasingly turn to violence to do so.”

Dr. Ariel Gelblung, Wiesenthal Center’s Director for Latin America, stated that “while the largest democracies on the planet declare their solidarity with Israel, Petro and Boric condemn it. They have not expressed sensitivity towards the victims of Hamas, and in some cases holding them responsible for their fate. Their prejudices are stronger than their common sense, leading them to generate the growth of Antisemitism in their countries. While democracies are majority governments, they are only as strong as the protection they give to the rights of minorities. We hold Presidents Boric and Petro personally responsible for the safety and well-being of the Jewish citizens of Chile and Colombia respectively.”

For further information, please contact Dr. Ariel Gelblung at +54 9 11 49695365.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization numbering over 400.000 members. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO)