Dr. Yasmin Calmet

Since the beginning of the twentieth century, many Palestinians have fled war at home in search of new opportunities in Latin America. Countries in our region have grappled with this challenge through developing opportunities for social and economic integration. The Palestinian exodus is not new for Latin America, particularly for Chile, Honduras, Colombia, Brazil, El Salvador, Peru, Venezuela, and Bolivia, all of which have sizable Palestinian populations.Since the recent intensification of the Israel-Palestine conflict, demonstrations on both sides have erupted in major Latin American cities. At the same time, the conflict has shaken diplomatic relations between Latin American countries. Although the region as a whole opposes the scope of the current violence, countries have differing stances on who is responsible for the deaths of innocent civilians.Regional leaders understand that the perpetuation of this conflict will generate economic, political, and cultural strife, while also exacerbating the global migration crisis. There is also likely to be increased xenophobia, in the form of both Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.There are approximately 500,000 Palestinians living in Chile—the largest Palestinian community outside of Israel and the Arab world. The conflict has divided Chilean public opinion and the country has witnessed both pro-Palestine and pro-Israel demonstrations. After the 7 October Hamas attack, the Chilean Palestinian community drew attention to a history of more than 75 years of systematic violations of Palestinian rights by Israel. They also expressed their support of peace and of respecting international law and human rights.However, following Netanyahu’s retaliation, the Chilean Palestinian community, along with other demonstrators and political actors, took to the streets. They also sent a letter to Chilean President Gabriel Boric asking him to comment on the attacks, voice support for the Palestinian cause, and condemn violence committed by Israel.In October and November, pro-Palestinian activists and groups held events and called on other Chileans to become informed about what the Palestinian people in the Middle East were undergoing. In so doing, Chilean Palestinians aimed to foster historical consciousness of and empathy for the Palestinians’ suffering and extermination. In addition, Palestinian activists have demanded that the Chilean government adopt a clearer position and recommended severing ties with any entity that violates human rights or commits war crimes.In the wake of 7 October, the Israeli embassy in Chile invited the public to a screening of footage of the attack by Hamas. The shocking images displayed were used to raise awareness among Chileans of the atrocities that had occurred. However, some Chilean politicians claimed that not only Hamas’s atrocities should be shown, but also those committed by Netanyahu.President Boric did not respond immediately to the conflict, particularly since he had to be cautious in light of Israel’s important economic clout in Chile. However, the Chilean government eventually condemned both the attack by Hamas and Israel’s retaliation in Gaza. It also oversaw flights to rescue Chilean citizens from the conflict zone. After demonstrations by the Palestinian community, President Boric denounced the conflict and emphasized the need for a peaceful solution, respecting human rights, and secure and internationally-recognized borders.Boric’s political opponents interpreted his response as a biased act in favor of Palestine, and which would benefit Hamas. At the same time, the Israeli embassy expressed its regret about the government’s stance, which they saw as defending a terrorist group. Meanwhile, politicians aligned with Boric’s government praised the Chilean president, who they said would preserve diplomacy and demonstrate that Chile was not indifferent to the war.The Chilean political class also hotly debated the decision to recall the Chilean ambassador from Israel. Boric indicated that the recall was due to "unacceptable" violations of international law. &nbsp;Boric reiterated his stance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Week, held in San Francisco on 16 November. He said that Chile would not be complicit in any type of violence and that regardless of which government perpetrated such violence, Chile would always raise its voice in defense and respect of human rights.Despite Chilean Palestinians’ geographical and generational distance from their roots, their bond with Palestine remains strong. This has been recently reflected in protests and demonstrations against Israeli repression in the Palestinian territories.In Chile, the Palestinian community comprises approximately 3 percent of the country’s population. Although this may seem relatively small, Palestinian Chileans have contributed greatly to Chile’s economic development since the twentieth century, especially in the banking sector, textile industry, and commerce.The Palestinian community in Chile sees Boric as capable of facilitating dialogue with other Latin American countries to consolidate diplomatic relations for greater institutional solidarity in defense of Palestinian sovereignty. For this reason, the Chilean opposition and pro-Israeli political groups have criticized the current government. The opposition is concerned that supporting the Palestinian cause could undercut diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel, Chile’s second most important trading partner in the Middle East.&nbsp;

How Is the War in Gaza Affecting Latin America’s Largest Palestinian Community?