SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Chile has joined a group of countries supporting a genocide case against Israel filed last year at the International Court of Justice.
President Gabriel Boric said in a speech to lawmakers on Saturday that he was shocked by the humanitarian destruction in Gaza, especially against women and children. He accused the Israeli army of using “arbitrary and disproportionate” force.
“These actions require a strong and permanent response from the international community,” the president said.
South Africa last year accused Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, for violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention. Israel has strongly rejected the claim, arguing that the war in Gaza is a legitimate defense against Hamas militants for their October 7 attack in southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and took 250 hostages.
Chile is home to the largest Palestinian community outside the Middle East, with a population of approximately 500,000, many of whom are descendants of Christian Arab immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries. They took root in the South American country as small retailers but have since risen to prominence in business and politics. One of the country’s most popular football teams is Palestino, whose white, black, green and red uniforms match the colors of the Palestinian flag.
Chile joins a group of mainly developing countries, including Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia, that have backed South Africa’s petition.
Boric, a left-wing former student leader, has balanced condemnation of the Hamas attack with fierce criticism of Israel’s military offensive that has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters.
