Posted on YouTube: January 6, 2014
Gerardo Gorodischer, President of the Jewish Community in Chile, against the Palestino Jerseys
In this post (Click Here). we discussed how a Palestinian-Chilean soccer team had caused a controversy by adopting a soccer jersey that had a map of Palestine which wiped Israel off the map.
The Palestinians in Chile are about 500,000 in number, though because of intermarriage some sources give lower figures. They are the largest Palestinian community outside of the Mideast. They are the largest CHRISTIAN-Palestinian community in the world, surpassing even the number of Palestinian-Christians in the Mideast.
About half of the world’s Palestinian Christian live in Chile. They tend to form an elite, with power far above their numbers in the Chilean population.
At 3% of Chile’s population, the Palestinians are 10% of the Chilean Senate. Almost all are Christian. The majority have ancestors who went to Chile before 1947; and who fled Muslim tyranny, not Zionism. Though some were refugees after 1948.
Most are second, third, fourth, and fifth generation Chilean. Most are only part-Palestinian. Almost all (99%+) are Christian – usually Eastern Orthodox Christian, or Roman Catholic. Most do not even speak Arabic. Though Arabic classes are spring up and many are re-discovering the Arab roots.
Yet, they are highly radicalized against Israel. Since Chile is the economic powerhouse of South America, and the Palestinians are the elites of Chile, their influence can sway a continent.
The reasons for this integrated, intermarried, and assimilated Palestian community in Chile to adopt a Palestinian cause which is today associated with Islamic radicalism are manifold and various; but frankly just amazing.
Yet, it is so!
This Uruguayan News Source, Adinet (Click Here), is reporting that the Chilean team remains defiant.
The Jewish community is furious and fighting back. They have protested to the Chilean Soccer Federation. However, the Chilean Soccer Federation said that in order to sanction the Palestino Soccer Club, another team must protest – which has not happened, yet.
This is not going away.
Chilean Society has historically been very friendly to Jewish people. In fact, they were taking in refugees from the Holocaust as late as 1940, long after most nations shut their doors to the Jews.
The Jewish community in Chile, while small, is not powerless; though it has nowhere near the clout of America’s ADL or AIPAC.
16% of Chile is pro-Zionist Evangelical Christian; and they are growing in numbers and power, as well.
While Palestinian Christians are elite and rich, they are headed for a clash with a growing Evangelical movement. This will not go away.
We shall see what happens.