Chile, Spain call for ceasefire in Gaza, say silence 'unacceptable'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
8 Mar 2024 20:10
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Chilean President Gabriel Boric, in a press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, condemns the Israeli army's "violent" and "unacceptable" attacks on civilians in Gaza.

The Chilean President, Gabriel Boric, on the left, poses for a photograph with the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, who arrived at the La Moneda Presidential Palace in Santiago, Chile, on Friday, March 8, 2024. (AP)

Chilean President Gabriel Boric, in a joint press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during his visit to Santiago today, called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

"We are witnessing violent and unacceptable attacks on civilians by the Israeli army, resulting in thousands of casualties," Boric stated, adding that "what is happening in Gaza is entirely unjustified," emphasizing the necessity of "respecting international law."

On his part, Sanchez emphasized the "cohesion of both governments in both situations in Ukraine and Gaza," urging the necessity of "respecting international law, which has been compromised after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu killed more than 30,000 Palestinian citizens in Gaza, mostly women and children."

The Spanish Prime Minister also viewed the silence of the international community over the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza as "embarrassing and unacceptable."

This comes shortly after Chile announced Tuesday it will exclude Israeli firms from Latin America's biggest aerospace fair, to be held in Santiago in April.

Chile, which has the largest Palestinian population outside the Arab world, recalled its ambassador to "Israel" in late October to protest the Israeli occupation forces' "unacceptable violations of international humanitarian law" in Gaza.

"Chile strongly condemns and observes with great concern... these military operations," the Chilean Foreign Ministry said at the time, adding that the Israeli war on Gaza amounted to "collective punishment" of the Strip's civilian population.

It is also worth noting that Mexico and Chile joined calls in January for an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) into possible war crimes committed in the war.