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Chile's government announced on Tuesday that it decided to cancel Israeli companies' invitations to Latin America's largest aerospace fair (FIDAE), scheduled to take place next month in Santiago. The Chilean defense ministry did not explain its decision but simply notified about Israel's exclusion from the security exhibition.
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Following the current war in Gaza, Chile decided to recall its ambassador from Israel last November, claiming that Israel violated international humanitarian law in Gaza. President Gabriel Boric said, "The response has been disproportionate and is violating international humanitarian law." The ambassador, who was recalled for consultations, has not returned since.
After the ambassador's return to Chile, Boric criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a press conference at the White House after a meeting with President Joe Biden. "These Hamas attacks are without justification, they deserve global condemnation, but the response by Benjamin Netanyahu's government also deserves our clearest condemnation."
Chile was one of the parties to request the investigation of Israel's alleged war crimes in Gaza from the International Criminal Court. One possible reason for Chile's decision stems from leftist organizations' appeals to President Boric, who is considered anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian. In 2022, Boric declared at a ceremony held with the Palestinian community in his country that his state would open a diplomatic mission in Palestine to be seated in Ramallah.
Israel's ambassador to Chile, Gil Artzyeli, told the French news agency AFP that the Chilean government did not update him about the decision before the Chilean defense ministry's statement. "It is difficult to say that we are surprised given the Chilean government's doctrine towards Israel," Erez said.