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<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:18pt"><b>How Have Latin America's </b></p>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:18pt"><b>Political Leaders </b><b
style="font-size:18pt">Responded </b></p>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:18pt"><b style="font-size:18pt">to
Israel's Siege on Gaza?<br>
</b></p>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:18pt"><b style="font-size:18pt"><br>
</b></p>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>By Stephan
Lefebvre </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big><a shape="rect"
href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017l8zR381_OEq4kUB_PcSibCPtr2cXfWonD-u7SD-9p7OEFWocHAAiz1HYWvUqaCaYOoXzl-WJjRY9qOg4SQLumxOA3v_9rAapCEsXMqWGCWDrw-vnD9Fr8EHFIz7Au8ltP8mEczVV6BcV7m0tMOAESDOqmP1s-aO6ucaP3Iy7ei-_uSV_rAyLFcUP-p7uGiuIhglXha7WtrujdIf_r3OUbgxdRVYV01D0hNDjDV8_cjnUdjG3oNNf3O9_PZI1ixryHJQQYVL-L57JFEgy1_fDUYCiLUWJNgHkcPjJA4oQGFlvJuWipaObtuT7glyzmtFsC9WScd15NSUuPg95aa8aWtWsxSaqFsdHZXfIZ4Q_3nPxkKNpNPmAta3tkdEma2PJ9DxRM4gvHTnYAQVTZWtMFhh3CIpdLrAudSrGdN7AJ5XCBHnKS-Tr7xVysJFGxXzC3tIz_p7vTo=&c=zemP__0H_xY-vj5KqgZgrWOWUhM8s6lo9da4b_nty6fjkAFkn4z7CA==&ch=yiyjYqaEcFbliJPhPkpFZ8wG-Jzp2pQ6-pElryOD_dJj_z8heVZL8w=="
target="_blank">CEPR</a> (July 21, 2014)<br>
<b><small><small><small><small><small><small><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=8659f05d-18d7-4c28-bf8f-f8bb284660c8&c=9c658400-32a8-11e3-8b18-d4ae52753a3b&ch=9d7f5870-32a8-11e3-8bc0-d4ae52753a3b">http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=8659f05d-18d7-4c28-bf8f-f8bb284660c8&c=9c658400-32a8-11e3-8b18-d4ae52753a3b&ch=9d7f5870-32a8-11e3-8bc0-d4ae52753a3b</a></small></small></small></small></small></small></b><br>
</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>On July 10th, just two
days after Israel launched Operation Protective Edge (the
largest attack on Gaza in several years) President Obama
released a statement in which he "reaffirmed Israel's right to
defend itself." With a death toll now over 550, it is
important to look beyond U.S. government sources for
information and perspective. Foreign policy among the
countries in Latin America conforms to the long-standing,
overwhelming international consensus that opposes Israeli
aggression and occupation, but it also reflects the region's
"second independence." Over the last 15 years, most countries
in Latin America have increased their ability to pursue a
foreign policy agenda separate from the goals of the U.S.
State Department. In the vast majority of cases, reactions to
the latest hostilities are fundamentally at odds with the U.S.
position, but they are also varied: many governments directly
criticize Israel, using words like "crimes against humanity"
and "genocide" to describe recent events; other official
statements limit themselves to calling for a ceasefire and a
peaceful resolution to the conflict.</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>Some of the strongest
statements were issued by left-leaning governments in South
America, including those of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile,
Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela. The government of Argentina
issued a statement "strongly condemn[ing] that Israel --
defying calls by the Security County, by the Secretary General
and by the many voices of the international community - has
decided to escalate the crisis by launching a ground
offensive." President Evo Morales of Bolivia announced that he
had petitioned the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights (UNCHR) to consider a case against Israel at the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) for "crimes against
humanity" and "genocide." (Bolivia broke diplomatic relations
with Israel in 2009 over Israel's Operation Cast Lead assault
on Gaza.) The statement from Brazil reads in part:[1]</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>The Brazilian
Government vehemently condemns the Israeli bombardment of
Gaza, with disproportionate use of force, which resulted in
more than 230 Palestinians dead, many of them unarmed
civilians and children. It equally condemns the firing of
rockets and mortars from Gaza into Israel.</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>The foreign ministry of
Chile released a statement that "strongly condemns the Israeli
attacks in the Gaza Strip," also saying that "The
reprehensible kidnappings and deaths of three young Israelis
and one young Palestinian cannot serve as an excuse to
initiate terrorist actions nor to attack areas densely
populated by civilians." Chile has reportedly suspended trade
talks with Israel and is considering withdrawal of its
ambassador in Tel Aviv over Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip.
The Government of Ecuador released a statement saying that it:</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-left:0.5in;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>strongly condemns the
disproportionate military operations by the Israeli army
against the civilian population of the Gaza Strip, which have
left more than a hundred deaths [sic] and considerable damage
to property and civil infrastructure, demands an immediate
cessation of these aggressions against the Palestinian
civilian population and called [sic] the State of Israel to
exercise maximum restraint and act in accordance to
international law and humanitarian law.</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>Uruguay issued a
similar statement condemning the military attacks by Israel in
the Gaza Strip, which "caused dozens of civilian deaths and
injuries, including women and children, in a disproportionate
response to the launch of rockets against the Israeli
territory on the part of armed Palestinian groups." The
statement also condemns the "repeated [rocket] launchings that
put the civilian population in central and southern Israel at
risk." On the whole, this was not positively received by the
Israeli ambassador to Uruguay. Finally, President Nicolás
Maduro of Venezuela issued a statement lamenting the murders
of three young Israelis, saying it is a case that "demands a
full investigation." He also rejected the attacks by Israeli
forces in the Gaza Strip, saying:</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-left:0.5in;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>the Bolivarian
Government of Venezuelan energetically condemns the unjust,
disproportionate and illegal military response of the State of
Israel against the historic Palestinian nation and urges its
government to immediately end this aggression which goes
against international law and against the most elemental sense
of respect for life and human dignity.</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>Clearly the language
used by each country varies, but it is interesting to note
that Venezuela's response falls somewhere in the middle of the
spectrum in terms of condemning the Israeli siege. The
Venezuelan foreign ministry issued a separate statement on
behalf of the ALBA counties which echoes the Venezuelan
government's statement and reaffirms the ALBA group's
"unconditional solidarity, support and influence for the
people of Palestine before this new wave of violence."</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>Outside South America,
several other countries issued strong responses, including
Cuba and El Salvador. Cuba's foreign ministry condemned Israel
for "us[ing] its military and technological superiority to
execute a policy of collective punishment with a
disproportionate use of force which causes civilian casualties
and enormous material damage." El Salvador issued a statement
in which the government "strongly condemns and rejects
Israel's increased armed aggression against the Gaza Strip"
which caused the "loss of human lives, hundreds of injuries
and the flight of thousands of Palestinians from their homes,
besides serious material damage." Also, the statement explains
that the U.N.'s legitimate self-defense clause "does not
justify the use of disproportionate military force against
another State, much less against its civilian population."</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>As an historical aside,
the United Nations declared 2014 the International Year of
Solidarity with the Palestinian People, and several of the
countries that introduced the resolution to the General
Assembly were from Latin America, including Bolivia, Cuba,
Ecuador, Guayana, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>Colombia stands out,
not only in South America but in Latin America as a whole, for
condemning the "acts of violence and terrorism" against Israel
and its civilian population. They called on both Israel and
Palestine to end the confrontations and return to the dialogue
and negotiation. Colombia has not supported U.N. membership
for Palestine, abstaining during the 2012 vote.</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>More measured
statements were issued by the governments of Costa Rica,
Honduras [PDF], Mexico, and Peru. These statements typically
called for a ceasefire, a peaceful resolution to the conflict,
and condemned both sides equally for the violence. Several
countries have not issued official responses, including the
Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Paraguay.
Panama's foreign minister did not release a dedicated
statement on the recent events, but received the Israeli
Ambassador for a meeting to strengthen the bilateral
relationship during which time the Panamanian official
expressed concern over the rise in violence in the Middle East
and expressed support for a peaceful resolution.</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big> </big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>These statements
clearly show not only that the vast majority of Latin American
countries are at odds with U.S. foreign policy, but also that
these countries are more and more able to articulate opposing
views that challenge U.S. State Department narratives. Back in
2010, CEPR examined the region's response to Israel's deadly
raid of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla and then as now we found
that there was a "hemispheric isolation of the U.S. on
critical foreign policy issues." While the era of U.S.
supported coups and interference in the region is not over,
significant progress has been made to increase national
sovereignty and independence in Latin America, and these are
changes that reverberate not just throughout the hemisphere,
but across the world.</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:10pt"><big><big>_____________________________________________</big></big></p>
<big><big>
</big></big>
<p
style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Cambria,Georgia,'Times
New Roman',serif;font-size:8pt"><big><big><span>[1] In this blog
post, estimates for casualties and other statistics included
in official statements are quoted as written in the original
versions, not corrected for the latest information
available. The latest numbers for the death toll indicate
over 550 killed since July 8, 2014.</span></big></big></p>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
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