The decision of President Boric’s government to exclude Israeli companies from the 2024 version of the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE), to be held between April 9 and 14, was considered a “new hostile act.” from Chile to Israel, in the opinion of ambassador Gil Artzyeli.
Although the head of the Israeli diplomatic mission in our country admits that the measure did not surprise him, because it is one more among a series of “hostilities” that have been occurring since October 7 (the date of the terrorist attack in Hamas against Israel), the continuity of these acts – in the opinion of the ambassador – deepens the political crisis between both countries, affecting “diplomatic relations.”
“This new act against Israel is among a long list of negative actions and obviously damages relations not only in terms of security and defense, which were very close for decades. It is a hostile environment towards Israel and we regret it,” says Artzyeli.
For the diplomat – who affirms that the Chilean Foreign Ministry has not had communication with them for five months – the problem started “from the same day that Chile compared Israel to Hamas and Islamic Jihad and questioned Israel’s right to self-defense and criticizing Israel from day one, without at any point showing the slightest empathy with Israel.”
Due to this situation, it is asked – based on the decision to exclude them from the Fidae – what sense does it make to maintain a Defense attaché in Chile, in which one of its missions was precisely the participation and coordination with the Air and Air Fair? communication systems.
“A military attaché is an important and expensive resource that we do not have in the entire world. We have it only with friendly countries. Clear. As Chile is or as Chile was. And if this is not the case, we have many other countries that would be delighted to have an Israeli defense attaché,” he asserts.
For that reason, they are studying all diplomatic alternatives to respond to the message, with another message. The retirement of Army Colonel Amit Guy, Defense and Armed Forces attaché in Chile, concurrent in Argentina, Ecuador and Paraguay.
“We are studying it and we are going to make the decision. When we make the decision, we will announce. “We are analyzing all options to trigger this hostile act towards Israel.”
Sources from the Defense world point out that if Israel withdraws its Defense attaché, most likely, by reciprocity, they will also withdraw the naval and Defense attaché that Chile has in Israel. A fact that adds to the call for consultations by the ambassador, Jorge Carvajal – who has not returned to his mission since October 23, 2023 – in the face of the “unacceptable violations of International Humanitarian Law that Israel has incurred in the Gaza Strip.”
Israel’s military relationship in Chile is long-standing, since both the Navy, the Air Force, the Army, the Carabineros and the PDI have Israeli weapons or weapons systems or radars. What’s more, currently the Ministry of Defense develops the National Satellite Program, which is a combination of its own and Israeli satellites.