15 May, 2018
As Palestinians mark the 70th anniversary of Nakba Day or “Catastrophe Day” after a bloody protest which claimed the lives of over 60 Palestinian protesters against the U.S. relocating its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Bolivia’s Evo Morales “strongly condemned” the brutal Israeli crackdown on Gaza protesters, while rejecting U.S.’ legitimizing of nearly 70 years of Israel’s occupation over Palestine.
“Bolivia condemns the genocidal reaction of the Israeli army that slaughters Palestinian brothers in cold blood. More than 50 dead, 2000 injured in protest against arbitrary transfer of US Embassy to Jerusalem,” President Morales said in a tweet Monday night.
“Bolivia rejects and strongly condemns the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem. Again, the US violates international law and covers the crimes of the state of Israel. #PalestinaLibre,” he added in another tweet.
Adding he rejects “imperialist interference (…) against peace in the Middle East” and as a violation of international law that “conceals the crimes of the State of Israel.”
“By confirming the transfer of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the United States destroys the peace process between Israel and Palestine and pushes the conflict of both peoples towards a bloody confrontation,” the South American leader tweeted hours after the U.S. government opened its new diplomatic headquarters in Israel.
Venezuela and South Africa also condemned Israel for the move, with Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza saying his country “firmly condemns” the “violent actions against the Palestinian people.” South Africa withdrew its envoy in Israel in protest of the killings.
At least 61 unarmed Palestinians were killed as Israel celebrated, less than 50 miles away, U.S. approval of Israel’s decades-long atrocities on Palestinians a day before the beginning of Nakba Day which highlights the beginning of Israeli occupation.
The occupation began in 1948 which displaced some 700,000 Palestinians. About five million Palestinians remain in displacement.
Seven decades ago Israeli militias helped form the state of Israel by depopulating Palestinian villages and displaying more than half a million people from their homes. Some Palestinians fled prior to the displacement, while the more resistant villages – like Deir Yassin – were destroyed.
