Bolivia Severs Ties With Israel as Regional Diplomatic Backlash Grows

Bolivian Minister of the Presidency María Nela Prada announced the decision on Tuesday, characterizing the government’s stance as a commitment to pacifist policy and international law. The administration pledged to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, while President Luis Arce urged the United Nations Security Council to intervene to prevent what he termed a genocide. Bolivia’s U.N. ambassador, Diego Pary, declared that his country aims to be on the right side of history, advocating for the full recognition of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders.

This marks a return to the diplomatic posture held by former President Evo Morales, who severed ties with Israel in 2009. Relations were only restored in 2019 under the right-wing administration of Jeanine Áñez. In response to the current break, the Israeli Foreign Ministry condemned Bolivia’s action, labeling it a submission to the Iranian regime.

Meanwhile, diplomatic pressure is mounting elsewhere. Chilean President Gabriel Boric recalled Ambassador Jorge Carvajal, citing the collective punishment of Palestinian civilians, while Colombian President Gustavo Petro pulled his envoy, Isaac Gilinski Sragowicz, describing the war as a massacre. By Wednesday, Jordan joined the exodus of diplomats, becoming the first Arab nation with normalized relations to recall its ambassador. Foreign Minister Ayman Al-Safadi stated that the envoy’s return remains strictly conditioned on Israel ending the military offensive and the resulting humanitarian catastrophe.