The Palestinians

The Palestinians

When dealing with Latin America, most of the Arab ethnicities in those countries are either of Lebanese Christian or Syrian Christian extraction. Yes, there are other ethnicities as well; but they tend to be smaller.

This is not true of all Latin American countries, though.

IN CHILE, THE PALESTINIANS ARE THE MAJORITY AMONG THE ARAB ETHNIC GROUPS.

Not just Chile, but also Honduras and El Salvador have prominent Palestinian populations as well.  However, since Chile is now a first world nation, and since Chile is an economic powerhouse in Latin America, it is Chile which we will pay attention to the most, in this series.

What one has to know is that Arabs are roughly 5% of Chile’s population;  but in Chile, the Palestinians are roughly 60% of the Arabs or 3% of Chile’s population.

They are rich, well-connected, powerful, and influential. They are also Christian, about 99% Christian, often Orthodox Christian.

THOUGH CHRISTIAN, PALESTINIAN CHILEANS SUPPORT THE STRUGGLE AGAINST ISRAEL.

This is just a statement of fact. Palestinian lobbies in Chile are extraordinarily powerful, and they work against Israel.


PALESTINE FOREVER Part 1
by the Comunidad Palestina de Chile – Posted on YouTube: March 23, 2015

Chile’s Palestinians (also called Chilestinos or Chilestinians) have distorted the politics of Chile in a way that most Latin American countries have not embraced. Israeli and Jewish groups are worried about that. And in Chile, these Palestinians are respectable.


December 31, 2021 – Edited some grammar, and updated a citation.
November 21, 2024 – Coverted from page to post

1941 Social Guide to the Arab Colony in Chile

guidebook_arab_colony_chile

Social Guide to the Arab Colony in Chile
Syrian – Palestinian – Lebanese

Notice: It was published in 1941, under the Auspices of The Palestinian Club. This community was already rich and influential by the 1940s.

Notice also that they did not call themselves South Syrians.  I have nothing against Israel, but the Palestinians had a Palestinian identity by that time. It was not invented in 1964 as some claim it was. Look at the booklet cover. It says Palestina, not Sursiria (South Syrian).  Palestinian is clearly called out as their identity.

Again, it is not anti-Israel to admit the truth. They had a collective identity even by that early date.

From the National Library of Chile

 

History and Faiza Al Manzur Dancing at Lebanese Club, Uruguay

History and Faiza Al Manzur Dancing at Lebanese Club, Uruguay

Posted on YouTube: Aug 5, 2016

At Punta Pocitos (a barrio in Montevideo), Uruguay.

The dancer is: Faiza Al Manzur

Her Facebook Link: (Click Here)

The Lebanese Club has a long history in Uruguay. It goes back to 1905, when Uruguay set out to outlaw Asian immigration, which would have prohibited Arab immigration. By that time, yes, even that early, the Lebanese and Syrian community in Uruguay was large enough to intervene and get an exemption for Syrians and Lebanese.

The point is: Even as early as 1905, there was a powerful Arab community in Uruguay.


August 25, 2024 – Removed dead links.

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