MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Boric gives thumbs down to Israel's presence at aerospace event

Boric's government gave no official reason for its decision

Chile's Government of President Gabriel Boric Font has given the thumbs down to the presence of Israeli companies at the 2024 edition of the traditional aerospace FIDAE event, which was announced in Santiago on Tuesday. A statement from the Defense Ministry read that the measure was adopted “by decision of the Chilean government” with no further explanations as to the reasons for it, although it is speculated that it is in reprisal of Israel's military deployment in Gaza.

Israeli products have traditionally been a main attraction at FIDAE, which will now not include companies such as Elbit, Rafael IAI, Elta, Meprolight, and Israel Shipyards, among others, which have partnered with Chilean associates in the past.

The aerospace fair organized by the Chilean Air Force will be held between April 9 and 14 at the Arturo Merino Benitez Airport in Santiago and will bring together exhibitors from more than 40 countries.

Boric has been critical of Israel's deployment against Palestinian enclaves in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank after the Oct. 7 attacks by the terrorist group Hamas, which the South American country also condemned. However, Boric's administration has described Israel's response as “disproportionate”.

Israel's reaction prompted Boric to recall the Chilean ambassador to Israel, Jorge Carvajal, for consultations, suspending his presence in the country as a reflection of the condemnation of the attacks by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

On Feb. 20, Chile's representative to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague Ximena Fuentes spoke of a “systematic violation of international law” as part of Israel's state policy during the public hearings held by 51 States that sought to have the ICJ issue a “non-binding legal opinion” regarding Israel's actions. Fuentes argued that Israel's policies violated international law, the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people, and the human rights of its population. She recalled that Chile recognized Palestine as a free, independent, and sovereign state during the first government of former President Sebastián Piñera. Israel must “put an end to these violations, provide full reparation and appropriate guarantees of non-repetition,” Fuentes stressed while insisting that from day one the Chilean government “has demanded the immediate release of the [Israeli] hostages.”