عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Chile to Open Embassy in Palestinian Territories, Says President

Chile's President Gabriel Boric addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, September 20, 2022. (Reuters)
Chile's President Gabriel Boric addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, September 20, 2022. (Reuters)
TT
20
TT

Chile to Open Embassy in Palestinian Territories, Says President

Chile's President Gabriel Boric addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, September 20, 2022. (Reuters)
Chile's President Gabriel Boric addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York City, US, September 20, 2022. (Reuters)

Chile plans to open an embassy in the Palestinian territories, President Gabriel Boric said late on Wednesday, which could make the Andean country one of only a handful to have an embassy-level office in the territories that are contested with Israel.

Chilean Foreign Minister Antonia Urrejola confirmed the plan on Thursday but said there was no timeline in place yet and that Chile continues to recognize both Palestine and Israel as legitimate states.

Leftist Boric, who has repeatedly expressed support for the Palestinian people's demand for an independent state, made the comments at a private ceremony in Santiago hosted by the city's important Palestinian diaspora.

"I am taking a risk (saying) this... we are going to raise our official representation in Palestine from having a charge d'affaires; now we are going to open an embassy," Boric said, without giving details on where the embassy would be located.

A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Chile said it would not be making a public statement on the matter.

The Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside of business hours.

The Palestinian territories, which Palestinians want recognized as a state, encompass the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and contest control over East Jerusalem. Israel captured those areas in a 1967 Middle East war and there have been regular clashes since.

The West Bank has experienced some of the worst levels of violence in more than a decade this year, much of it concentrated around Nablus and the nearby city of Jenin, with at least 150 Palestinians and more than 20 Israelis killed.

Israeli forces killed a Palestinian combatant in clashes near a flashpoint site on Thursday, underlining the continuing violence in the occupied West Bank that will confront Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's incoming government.

Netanyahu has secured a coalition with religious and ultranationalist partners who oppose Palestinian statehood and want to extend Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Chile's Boric said the embassy was meant to give Palestinians the representation they deserve and to demand that "international law be respected."

In September, Boric postponed receiving the credentials of Israel's new ambassador to Chile after Israeli forces killed a Palestinian teenager. Israel criticized the decision, saying it "seriously" harmed bilateral ties.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Syria Launches Border Security Sweep amid Fears of Iranian Activity

Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
TT
20
TT

Syria Launches Border Security Sweep amid Fears of Iranian Activity

Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.

Damascus has launched a security operation in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border in what sources described as a preemptive move, amid warnings that Iran could mobilize allied armed groups in the area, sources in the Syrian capital told Asharq Al-Awsat.

According to the sources, Syrian authorities received regional intelligence alerts about the potential for Iran to activate factions and militia members formerly linked to its Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

These groups, which remain active in cross-border smuggling, maintain extensive ties with Iraqi militias aligned with Tehran.

The sources said there are growing concerns that Iran may use these proxies to carry out attacks against US-led coalition forces or regional troops, as a means of broadening the conflict and easing pressure from Israeli strikes.

Two days after a phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syria’s President Ahmed Al-Sharaa - during which Erdogan reportedly urged Damascus to stay out of the conflict - Syrian authorities announced the launch of a sweeping security campaign in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.

Col. Derrar Al-Shamlan, head of internal security in Deir Ezzor, said on Monday that a “comprehensive security operation” had begun across the province, in full coordination with the Ministry of Defense, which is providing security cover and logistical support.

Shamlan urged residents to report any suspicious activity, saying the operation is aimed at rooting out remnants of what he called the “defunct regime.”

The campaign began at dawn on Monday with the imposition of a curfew in the border city of Al-Mayadeen, about 45 kilometers southeast of Deir Ezzor.

Al-Shamlan said the security campaign began in Al-Mayadeen due to the presence of wanted individuals involved in activities posing a “direct threat to public safety,” including drug trafficking, murder, and assaults on civilians.

In an official statement carried by Syrian state media, Shamlan said the operation would unfold in “phases” to ensure “maximum precision and effectiveness,” while stressing full respect for citizens’ rights and a clear distinction between suspects and innocent civilians.

He added that the campaign targets only those for whom “clear evidence exists” linking them to the listed crimes.

Local sources in Deir Ezzor told Asharq Al-Awsat that the security situation in eastern Syria remains highly complex, as internal security forces and the Ministry of Defense face mounting challenges in asserting control.

A key obstacle, they said, is the entrenched tribal structure in the region. Damascus has relied on a decentralized military presence, with local groups affiliated with security and defense institutions tasked with managing the area.

However, many of these recruits are former members of militias previously aligned with the Syrian regime, Iran, or Russia - a legacy that has fueled public resentment.

Several individuals have been dismissed from the public security force in recent weeks following accusations of abuses and violations against civilians.