Chile excludes Israeli firms from LatAm's top aerospace fair

March 6, 2024 10:05 AM

Chile said Tuesday it will exclude Israeli firms from Latin America's biggest aerospace fair, to be held in Santiago in April.

"By decision of the Government of Chile, the 2024 version of the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE), to be held between 9 and 14 April, will not have the participation of Israeli companies," a defense ministry statement said.

It did not give a reason, but the government of leftist President Gabriel Boric has been critical of what he has called Israel's "disproportionate" response to the October 7 attack by Hamas that resulted in about 1,160 deaths, mainly of civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed 30,534 people, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.

Chile, which has the largest Palestinian population outside the Arab world, recalled its ambassador to Israel late October to protest Israel's "unacceptable violations of international humanitarian law" in Gaza.

Mexico and Chile in January joined calls for an investigation by the International Criminal Court into possible war crimes in the Israel-Hamas war.

Israel's ambassador in Chile Gil Artzyeli told AFP on Tuesday he had not been contacted by the government with the FIDAE news.

"We cannot say we are surprised taking into account the (Chilean) government's doctrine towards Israel," he said.