Opinion

Chile Is The Tipping Point

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Chile Is The Tipping Point

Chile has a population of roughly 20 Million people at the time of writing this post. It is considered a developed country and is borderline first world.

Except for the period of Allende and Pinochet, Chile has a history of being a stable republic. Today, it has a high freedom index. Chile also has a growing Evangelical population, which are often Zionist in outlook.

It’s influence in Latin America cannot be underestimated.

However, roughly 500,000 of its population is Palestinian in origin (~2.5%), and they are very prosperous and embedded in politics. They have so much sway that they have altered Chile’s politics regarding Israel. Even otherwise conservative politicians have to pay homage to the Palestinian cause.

The video below shows the cultural power and influence of just one aspect of the Palestinian-Chileans: Their football team. The video also mentions Sebastian Piñera – a former conservative president and politician – who had to pay them proper homage (see 1:04 in video) by recognizing the state of Palestine during his administration.


Posted on YouTube: June 21, 2024

Many, even Jews, have noticed that the power of Chilean Palestinians (Chilestinos) corresponds to that of the Jews in America.


Posted on YouTube: December 9, 2023

Source: Police in Chile guard Jews after anti-Semitic attacks
By Gil Stern, Stern Shefler
August 18, 2010
Jerusalem Post

“The Palestinian community is to Chile what the Jewish community is to the US,” [The president of Chile’s Jewish community, Gabriel] Zaliasnik explained.

So a key to weakening Iranian influence in Latin America is to defang the power of the Chilestino community.

Would it even be possible? The Chilestino community is 99% Christian (usually Eastern Orthodox Christian or Roman Catholic). Even though they tend to identify with the Palestinian cause, their Christian identity might be a tool to bring them to a reconsideration of their support towards what is now a Muslim cause in the Mideast.

Daunting though it may be, the Evangelicals of Chile should put denominational differences aside and reach out to the Chilestinos. Maybe they can get them to ease up a bit.

Palestinian Advocate Gets Press in Chile

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Palestinian Advocate Gets Press in Chile

Al Jazeera is posting some video about a notable Palestinian activist, Aya al-Hamidi, in Chile.


Posted on YouTube: August 15, 2024
(You’ll probably have to make full screen
in order to read the fine print)

And we have another posted about her, here.


Go to 1:21 to see Aya al-Hamidi
Posted on YouTube: December 9, 2023

Chile is rather amazing. It is a borderline first-world country with a high democratic index, higher even than the USA.

Yet, it differs from the Western world with its strong support for Palestinians causes, which has brought Chile to the attention of many pro-Jewish, pro-Israel advocacy groups which have critized Chile for its positions, and what they perceive as antisemitism.


Posted on YouTube: July 9, 2020
by the World Jewish Congress

Chile is home to the largest demographic of Palestinians outside of the Arab word.

At roughtly 500,000 people, the Palestinians in Chile are roughly 2½ percent of the population – similar to the Jewish demographic in the USA. And also like American Jews, these Palestinians (Chilestinos) are educated, prosperous, and punch well above their weight in the economy and politics.

Source: Police in Chile guard Jews after anti-Semitic attacks
By Gil Stern, Stern Shefler
August 18, 2010
Jerusalem Post

“The Palestinian community is to Chile what the Jewish community is to the US,” [The president of Chile’s Jewish community, Gabriel] Zaliasnik explained.

Oddly, about 99% of the Palestinian-Chileans – called Chilestinos – are Christian, and seem to have forgotten how often the Muslims in the Mideast used to persecute their ancestors. Ironically, they tend to identify strongly with the Palestinian cause, even with its Muslim aspects.

Hence, a Palestinian activist, like Aly al Hamdi, can get airtime on the University of Chile’s Radio station.

Source: Radio Universidad de Chile
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Translated by Google

… Under the slogan “Our eyes in Rafah”, activist Aya Al Hamidi, the Coordinator for Palestine, Action for Palestine and Chile for Palestine, called for the mobilization this Friday afternoon through social networks and demanded that Chile break relations with Israel.

The mobilization, which began at 6:30 p.m. on the corner of Providencia and Tobalaba, was attended by a hundred people with Palestinian flags and posters calling for an end to the massacre in the Gaza Strip.

In a conversation with Radio Universidad de Chile, Aya Al Hamidi, commented that the “whole world is rising up for Palestine, for Gaza and even more so when Hamas accepted the peace agreement, accepted all the terms and everything to stop the massacre.”

“Instead of stopping, Israel attacked and invaded Rafah. Nearly 100 people have died in less than four days. So, demonstrating against a genocide is essential to be able to achieve something,” Al Hamidi said.

(Click Here) to read more.

It is not that Jews have no influence in Chile. They do. Rather, they are outnumbered by the highly successful Palestinian-Chilean community (Chilestinos) by roughly 30 to 1.


Posted on YouTube: September 1, 2021
by the World Jewish Congress

Chile’s government has a somewhate tortured relationship with Israel. Right now, it has recalled its ambassador due to the war in Gaza.

Source: Israeli Diplomacy Doing Well Despite War
~ Ynetnews / Bridges for Peace
by: Itamar Eichner
August 7, 2024

Chile: Chile’s leftist president Gabriel Boric recalled his country’s ambassador to Israel. Conversely, Israeli Ambassador Gil Artzieli remained in Chile and continues to work as usual.

Though quite democratic, and less corrupt that Argentina, Chile has does not have the strong Jewish influence that Argentina had during its history. Its government – though NOT antisemitic – is not hospitable to Israel.

Even conservative politicians – whom one would think would be pro-Israel – still have to pay homage to the Palestinian community in Chile, or their political careers will be destroyed.

And the Chilestinos?! They have group amnesia, forgetting that one of the reasons their Christian ancestors fled to Chile was to escape the Muslim world. Their support for, what is now an Islamic cause is, truly unbelievable.

September 8, 2024 – edited a spelling. Added a video.

The Present Crisis

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The Present Crisis

When I started this blog, about twelve years ago, it was more of a curiosity to me. I just wanted to explore the subcultural impact of Arabs in Latin America. I wanted to show the world the food, the music, and the dance that Arabs had brought to Latin culture.

AND IT WAS IMPRESSIVE!

However, there were times that events intruded into the exploration of the subculture. The continuing wars in Gaza always left a mark. But the present Gaza War is of an altogether different character.

Unlike much of the world, and much of the internet, my own sympathies tend to lie with Israel, but I am an American.

Latin America has tens of millions of citizens of Arab ancestry, and while almost all of those Arab-Latins are Christians, some have a pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel view. Chile, for example, has a massive Palestinian population which is very politically powerful, very hostile to Israel, and very influential. Oddly, these Chilean Palestinians are 99% Christian, yet sympathetic to the Islamic cause of Palestine in the Mideast.

To be sure, I am NOT putting down Latin-Arabs, most of whom are nice, but the media focuses on the loud protestors. And the Christians in Latin America forget that their ancestors often left the Mideast due to Muslim persecutions against Christians.

Thankfully, as a rule, Latins of Lebanese Maronite Christian ancestry do remember the predations of Islam; and they tend to avoid an anti-Israel sentiment. They can be a moderating force among other Latin-Arabs.

One has to remember that the pro-Palestinian elements may be loud and organized, but in Latin America there is a growing base of Evangelical Christians who are very pro-Israel. These will not make the headlines … but they vote and politicians have to take that bloc into account.


Posted on YouTube: November 13, 2023
Israel Receives Massive Support from Christians
(Can be auto-translated)

And what you have to also remember is that the general media often lies to you.

I am not saying Israel is perfect. WHAT NATION IS?!

But Hamas is a dark, vicious, terror group.

For example: This is floating on Twitter (X):

Some students in Argentina are pro-Palestinian. So what?!

The tweet does not tell the whole story concerning Argentina.

The President of Argentina, Javier Milei, is very pro-Israel, but the tweet does not mention that. Neither does the tweet mention that a large part of Argentina’s elite is Jewish.

Unlike the rest of Latin America, Argentina had a massive wave of Jewish immigration. It has greatly affected their culture.

So a few pro-Palestinian students in Buenos Aires are insignificant.

Likewise, Brazil’s Presicent Lula may be against Israel, but he knows his position is weak. He got elected by a questionable vote. His opponent was Jair Bolsonaro, a strong pro-Israel supporter. Massive sections of Brazil are Christian-Zionist.

Just remember that, even in Latin America, Israel has its supporters.

So media reports from South America may be out of sync with the underlying public opinion. While you may see supporters for Gaza in South America on the media, remember that these reports may be biased.

The Palestinian Community in Chile Is Taking the War Hard

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The Palestinian Community in Chile Is Taking the War Hard

Posted on Twitter (X) on December 18, 2023

Chile has a very influential community of Palestinians. They are not taking this war lightly. The are calling what Israel is doing: genocide.

I do NOT agree, but South America is split over this war.

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