Bolivia's Stance On Israel-Palestine: A Complex Dynamic

Bolivia has historically supported Palestine over Israel, particularly in recent years. Bolivia and Israel first established diplomatic relations in 1950, and the two countries enjoyed close ties until the 21st century, when successive Bolivian governments became opposed to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip. In 2009, Bolivia severed ties with Israel and recognised Palestine as a state. Bolivia has since broken and re-established diplomatic ties with Israel several times, most recently cutting ties in 2023, citing crimes against humanity in the 2023 Israel-Hamas war.

Bolivia's history of supporting Palestine at the United Nations

Bolivia has a history of supporting Palestine at the United Nations, with the country's former president Evo Morales showing solidarity with the Palestinian people on several occasions.

In 2009, Bolivia cut ties with Israel in response to the country's war on Gaza, known as Operation Cast Lead. Morales called for the stripping of Israeli President Shimon Peres' Nobel Peace Prize due to his support for the Israeli government's actions. Later that year, Bolivia officially recognised the State of Palestine as an independent and sovereign state.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly in 2011, Morales expressed his country's strong support for Palestine's UN drive, saying: "Not only does Bolivia support the Palestinian recognition by the United Nations, our position is to welcome the Palestinians to the United Nations." He also denounced Israel for "bombing, attacking, killing and taking land" from the Palestinians.

Bolivia's support for Palestine at the United Nations continued during its presidency of the United Nations Security Council in 2017, with Morales declaring that the country's priorities included the conflict in the Middle East and the 50-year occupation of Palestine.

In 2019, Bolivia signed a development cooperation agreement with Palestine, sealing its solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Most recently, in 2023, Bolivia became the first country in the world to completely sever diplomatic relations with Israel over its war on Gaza, with Bolivian Minister of the Presidency María Nela Prada telling reporters that the decision was "consistent with our pacifist policy". Bolivia's UN ambassador, Diego Pary, said that his country "will be on the right side of history" and that "the liberty and dignity of human beings must be respected in all corners of this planet".

Bolivia's recognition of Palestine as a state

Bolivia has historically had a complex relationship with both Israel and Palestine. While the country recognised Israel's sovereignty in 1949 and established diplomatic relations in 1950, Bolivia's stance has shifted over the years, particularly in response to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Bolivia's support for Palestine can be traced back to the country's recognition of Palestine as a state in 2010. This recognition was a significant step in Bolivia's foreign policy and was part of a broader South American effort to show solidarity with the Palestinian people. This move was followed by a series of actions demonstrating Bolivia's commitment to the Palestinian cause.

In 2011, Bolivian President Evo Morales prioritised the Middle East conflict and the occupation of Palestine during Bolivia's presidency of the United Nations Security Council. Bolivia also consistently supported Palestine at the United Nations, advocating for the recognition of Palestinian statehood and denouncing Israeli actions. In 2014, Bolivia further strengthened its support for Palestine by signing a development cooperation agreement between the two countries, despite the challenges posed by Palestine being under Israeli control.

Bolivia has repeatedly severed diplomatic ties with Israel, notably in 2009, 2014, and most recently in 2023, citing Israeli military operations and the high number of Palestinian civilian deaths. Bolivia has been vocal about its condemnation of Israeli actions, referring to them as "war crimes" and calling for an end to the attacks and a definitive solution for Palestine to exercise its right to self-determination.

Overall, Bolivia's recognition of Palestine as a state in 2010 marked a turning point in the country's foreign policy and set the tone for its ongoing support for the Palestinian people and their quest for statehood.

Bolivia's condemnation of Israel's military operations in Gaza

Bolivia has historically had a diplomatic relationship with Israel, which was first established in 1950. However, in recent years, Bolivia has adopted an increasingly pro-Palestinian stance, particularly in response to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

In 2009, Bolivia severed ties with Israel for the first time, decrying the Palestinian death toll in the Israeli military's "Operation Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip. This decision was made by then-Bolivian President Evo Morales, who was a member of the leftist Movement for Socialism party. Morales also designated Israel as a "'terrorist state'" and cancelled the Bolivian-Israeli visa waiver agreement.

In 2019, after Morales resigned from the presidency, Bolivia restored diplomatic relations with Israel. However, in 2023, Bolivia once again severed ties with Israel due to the country's military actions in Gaza. The Bolivian government, led by President Luis Arce, accused Israel of carrying out "crimes against humanity" and "war crimes" in the latest Israel-Hamas war. They cited the high number of Palestinian casualties in Gaza, including thousands of civilian deaths and the forced displacement of Palestinians.

Bolivia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Freddy Mamani, stated that Bolivia decided to break diplomatic relations with Israel "in repudiation and condemnation of the aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive taking place in the Gaza Strip." Bolivia also pledged to send humanitarian aid to those affected in the Gaza Strip and called on other nations to take collective action to "avoid genocide" in Gaza.

Bolivia's stance against Israel's military operations in Gaza has been consistent over the years, with the country prioritizing the Palestinian cause at the United Nations and in other international forums. This has resulted in a negative response from the Israeli government, which has accused Bolivia of supporting terrorism and submitting to the Iranian regime.

Bolivia's severing of diplomatic ties with Israel

Bolivia and Israel first established diplomatic relations in 1950, two years after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. The two countries enjoyed generally stable and close ties until the beginning of the 21st century, when successive Bolivian governments became increasingly opposed to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

In 2009, Bolivia severed diplomatic ties with Israel for the first time, decring the Palestinian death toll in the Israeli military's "Operation Cast Lead" in the Gaza Strip. This decision was made by then-Bolivian President Evo Morales, a member of the leftist Movement for Socialism party, which has governed the country on a near-continuous basis since 2006. Morales expelled the Israeli ambassador and seven members of the diplomatic mission, and Bolivia's economic ties and visa waiver program with Israel remained intact.

In 2014, following the outbreak of the Gaza War, Morales designated Israel as a "terrorist state" and cancelled the Bolivian-Israeli visa waiver agreement, promising to cut bilateral economic ties and ban all Israelis from visiting Bolivia.

In 2019, Morales resigned from the presidency due to widespread protests and was succeeded by Jeanine Áñez, who restored diplomatic relations with Israel. However, in 2020, the Movement for Socialism party returned to power under President Luis Arce, who once again severed ties with Israel on October 31, 2023, citing the Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war.

On October 31, 2023, Bolivia's Deputy Foreign Minister, Freddy Mamani, announced the country's decision to break diplomatic relations with Israel, condemning the "aggressive and disproportionate Israeli military offensive" in the Gaza Strip. This decision was made in response to the high number of Palestinian casualties in the latest Israel-Hamas war and was supported by other leftist governments in South America, including those of Chile, Colombia, and Jordan, which recalled their ambassadors to Israel.

Bolivia's Minister of the Presidency and acting Foreign Minister, María Nela Prada, accused Israel of committing "crimes against humanity" in the Gaza Strip and called for an end to the attacks, which had resulted in thousands of civilian casualties and the forced displacement of Palestinians. President Arce expressed his solidarity with the Palestinian people, stating that Bolivia cannot remain silent and continue to allow the suffering of the Palestinian people, especially of the children, who have the right to live in peace.

Bolivia's decision to sever diplomatic ties with Israel was celebrated by its influential former president, Evo Morales, who, however, stated that Bolivia should go further and declare Israel a terrorist state and file a complaint with the International Criminal Court.

As of January 2024, there are no official diplomatic relations between Bolivia and Israel.

Bolivia's economic ties with Israel

Bolivia and Israel first established diplomatic relations in 1950, two years after the Israeli Declaration of Independence. The two countries enjoyed generally stable and close ties until the beginning of the 21st century, when successive Bolivian governments became increasingly opposed to Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

In 2009, Bolivian President Evo Morales severed diplomatic ties with Israel for the first time, in response to the country's military offensive in Gaza, known as Operation Cast Lead. Despite this, economic ties between the two countries remained intact. In 2010, Israeli exports to Bolivia were valued at around $6 million, while imports from Bolivia were valued at approximately $3 million.

Following the 2014 Gaza War, Morales designated Israel as a "'terrorist state'" and cancelled the Bolivian-Israeli visa waiver agreement, which had been in place since 1972. Morales also promised to cut bilateral economic ties and ban all Israelis from visiting Bolivia.

In 2019, Morales resigned from the presidency amid widespread protests and was succeeded by Jeanine Áñez, who restored diplomatic relations with Israel. During this period, the visa waiver for Israelis touring Bolivia was renewed.

In 2020, the Movement for Socialism party returned to power under President Luis Arce, who severed ties with Israel once again in October 2023, citing the country's military actions in the Israel-Hamas war. As of January 2024, there are no official diplomatic relations between Bolivia and Israel.

While Bolivia's relations with Israel have been volatile, the country has maintained economic ties with Israel throughout most of their relationship. However, there have been periods when these ties were strained or severed, particularly during the rule of President Evo Morales and the Movement for Socialism party.

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