SAO PAULO: Chile’s President Gabriel Boric was elected on Friday amid high hopes for positive changes in South America.
The working-class hopes that he will rebuild the economy and reduce inequality. However, certain population segments also look forward to political change during his administration.
This is true for Chile’s Palestinian community. It is the largest in the Heart East, with 500,000 members.
Although Palestinian Chileans may be politically diverse, they are all excited by Boric’s new Israeli-Palestinian conflict approach.
Boric was an activist and Congressman who had harshly criticized Israel’s policies towards the Palestinians.
He was a student leader at the University of Chile and rose to prominence during massive student protests for public school education in 2011-2012.
He was elected to Congress in 2013. He developed a close relationship over the years with Palestinian organizers. In 2018, he visited Palestine with other Congress members.
“He is an expert on the Palestinian tragedy, and he was able to see for himself the living conditions of Palestinians within the occupied territories,” Jaime Abedrapo (a Palestinian Chilean political analyst) told Arab News. He also said that Boric has repeatedly stated that he is a strong advocate for human rights.
Maher Pichara Abueid is a youth director in Chile’s Palestinian community. He said that Boric is “committed” to the right of all nations to self-determination and rejects “any type of illegal occupation or colonialism.”
Boric has sometimes taken his pro-Palestine stance even further. Boric tweeted that the Chilean Jewish community had sent him and the other Congress members jar honey to celebrate the Jewish New Year. It also included a message reaffirming its commitment towards a “more inclusive solidary and respectful society.”
Boric told an interviewer at the end of 2021 that Israel was a murderer and a genocidal country.
During his presidential campaign, the candidate attended a meeting of the Palestinian community. He signed a commitment to support a bill to ban all Israeli products made on occupied Palestinian lands. The same promise was made by all other candidates except one.
Abused stated that “The bill’s acceptance would position Chile and President Boric at the forefront of international law’s defense by prohibiting imports of products made in colonies.”
Abedrapo stated that Boric’s election resulted from the deep political transformation in Chile that began after the 2011 protests and, more recently, the 2019 Social Explosion that saw hundreds of thousands of people demonstrate against the country’s political class and demand reforms to its pensions and education systems.
A social convulsion caused the creation of a new constitutional assembly, which began work in July 2021.
Camilo, a 26-year-old student of political science from Palestine, stated that although the protesters had many social and political goals regarding Chile’s living conditions, most sympathized with the Palestinian cause. Camilo asked for anonymity because of privacy concerns.
Arab News: “My candidate in the primary election was Daniel Jadue. He is Palestinian and took a clearer stand condemning Israel.” he said.
“Boric is a moderately ambiguous personality. He won’t cause an indisposition to Israel, I think.
Camilo expressed optimism that the Boycott Divestment Sanctions movement could be strengthened in his home.
For example, Valdivia approved a 2018 resolution banning Israeli products.
Camilo stated that he believes the movement can grow nationally, even though the law was ultimately suspended by the comptroller General of the Republic.
He said that although Boric might not implement a BDS law, he wouldn’t stop municipalities from doing so.
Patricio Navia is a New York University’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies professor. He said that Boric Chile’s foreign policies toward Israel and Palestine would not change.
He’ll protect Chile’s interests as president of Chile. Arab News reported that Chile has military and commercial relations with Israel. He also said that Boric’s harsh words about Israel would be replaced by moderation.
Navia stated that Boric faces many problems, including the constitution assembly and the economy. “I don’t believe he’ll interfere in any other issue, especially one that he isn’t able to solve.”
Abedrapo stated that “We don’t want more expectations than we should.” We need to be prudent.
