Latin American nations condemn Israel for the latest round of violence

Five Latin American nations have recalled their ambassadors, harshly condemning Israel for the latest round of violence.

Israel’s newspaper, Haaretz, reported that many of the nearly 120,000 South American Jews could be facing a physical threat, as they are close to the danger zones with Hamas presence

Since Israel launched its ground incursion into Gaza, five Latin American nations — Ecuador, Brazil, Chile, Peru and El Salvador — have recalled their ambassadors, harshly condemning Israel for the latest round of violence. Last week Bolivia, canceled a long-standing visa-exemption for visiting Israelis.

Many noted the complete failure by governments in Latin America to express concern for the safety of tens of thousands of their nationals living in Israel. For Rabbi Mauricio Balter, of the Eshel Avraham Conservative synagogue of Be’er Sheva, home to roughly 7,000 Argentinean immigrants “For me, what’s different this time is that it’s all the countries ganging up on Israel together.”

“Now I’m hearing reports of anti-Semitic graffiti in Jewish cemeteries in Chile and of Jews being verbally attacked in supermarkets. Chileans aren’t like Argentineans, they’re much more subdued,” said Balter

Meanwhile, the concerns among South America’s Jews keep rising with apparent rise of anti-Semitism sparking a new wave of immigration within the Latin Community

By Janeth Taborda

Sources

haaretz.com

Photo: Nir Kafri - Haaratz