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Last update - 19:36 14/01/2009
Bolivia cuts ties with Israel, seeks genocide charges against Israeli officials
By Reuters
Tags: gaza, hamas, bolivia 

Bolivian President Evo Morales said on Wednesday that his country is breaking diplomatic ties with Israel over its 19-day-old campaign in Gaza, and said he will ask the International Criminal Court to bring genocide charges against top Israeli officials.




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Bolivia had diplomatic relations with Israel. [But] considering these grave attacks against...humanity, Bolivia will stop having diplomatic relations with Israel," Morales said in a speech before diplomats in the government palace.

"We haven't received official confirmation from the Bolivian government," the Israeli consul in La Paz, Roberto Nelkenbaum, told Reuters by telephone.

The diplomat said he was "surprised and sad" after hearing Morales' comments in local media and that the two countries have had good diplomatic relations for more than 50 years.

Israel launched the offensive in Gaza on Dec. 27, seeking to force the ruling Hamas militant group to stop rocket attacks on southern Israel.

Morales, a leftist, is a close ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who on Jan. 6 expelled Israel's ambassador in protest over the operation in Gaza.

Morales told the country's diplomatic corps that the Israeli attack seriously threatened world peace and he called for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his cabinet to face criminal charges.

Morales chided the United Nations' "Insecurity Council" for its lukewarm response to the crisis and said the UN General Assembly should condemn the invasion.

He also said President Shimon Peres should be stripped of his Nobel Peace Prize for failing to stop the invasion.

Morales and Chavez have worked to cultivate ties to Iran, which supports
Hamas. Morales met Tuesday with visiting Iranian officials, who gave him a letter from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad thanking Morales for his previously voicing supporting for the Palestinians.

Related articles:
  • A week after expelling Israeli officials over Gaza op, Venezuela looks to repair ties
  • To protest Gaza op, Venezuela gives Israeli diplomats 72 hours to leave
  • Israel weighs expelling Venezuelan envoys after Chavez dismisses ambassador







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      1.   I am not surprised ! 18:39  |  Mario 14/01/09
      2.   Chavez`s lapdog barks 18:56  |  bobby 14/01/09
      3.   Bolivia? BOLIVIA??? 19:01  |  AIG 14/01/09
      4.   Morales without Morals 19:04  |  Mike 14/01/09
      5.   Someone buy this man a dictionary! 19:08  |  Jordan 14/01/09
      6.   The red leftists at work ! 19:34  |  Romy 14/01/09
      7.   That`s why his country is not blessed 19:43  |  Maria 14/01/09
      8.   Yada Yada 19:46  |  Yosemite 14/01/09
      9.   It`s not a JOKE !!!!!!! (proxy war against jews) 20:14  |  Alberto Cohen 14/01/09
      10.   It`s not a JOKE !!! (proxy war against jews) 20:15  |  Alberto Cohen 14/01/09
      11.   Bolivia? BOLIVIA??? Part 2 20:22  |  AIG 14/01/09
      12.   Bolivia 20:35  |  dan 14/01/09
      13.   evo morales = a brave man with morals 20:39  |  citizen 1 14/01/09
      14.   #8...thats very easy 20:49  |  kwame 14/01/09
      15.   Bolivia 22:57  |  Jay Davis 14/01/09
      16.   VIVA MORALES!!! 01:08  |  Kim 15/01/09
      17.   Where is uproar on genocide in Hamas charter? 01:12  |  Rob 15/01/09
      18.   chavez`s puppy 01:39  |  ignacio 15/01/09
      19.   What a hateful talkback against Morales 01:47  |  Diego 15/01/09
      20.   Population explosion is hardly "genocide" 01:57  |  judith 15/01/09
      21.   Who is Bolivia? Is nothing, nothing.... 02:29  |  Frank 15/01/09
      22.   Canary in a coal mine 02:38  |  Colin Wright 15/01/09
      23.   Israeli are blind 02:39  |  gus 15/01/09
      24.   Buy yourself a history lesson, gus (# 23) 04:19  |  flyingdoc57 15/01/09
      25.   Bovinea 04:27  |  gilbert 15/01/09
      26.   Morales an imbecil 06:28  |  charro 15/01/09
      27.   Bolivia may split into 2 countries 06:33  |  Semsem 15/01/09
      28.   to bad for them. their loss. 06:46  |  ralph 15/01/09
      29.   Glad to hear about war crimes trials 10:14  |  Alice 15/01/09
      30.   #13 10:15  |  Alice 15/01/09
      31.   Hypoctrates 10:16  |  Stu 15/01/09
      32.   the axis of evil expands....but its no surprise 12:42  |  sam elyanito 15/01/09
      33.   Who needs Bolivia? 14:58  |  Lalengmawia Vantawl 15/01/09
      34.   Before speaking, at least read !! 17:08  |  Hugo 15/01/09
      35.   Thank you Bolivia 18:38  |  goyis 15/01/09
      36.   Evo Morales, an example of courage 19:28  |  KMansfield 15/01/09
      37.   Kim... 20:04  |  Mary-Lee 15/01/09
      38.   Cohen, you are paranoid 03:44  |  angryrat 16/01/09
      39.   Isreal is Lost 00:00  |  Haidar 17/01/09
      40.   Chave and Bolivia 05:42  |  John Williams 19/01/09
      41.   Ireland too!!! 15:41  |  Bob 21/01/09
      42.   Viva Morales or Vivo Morales 04:00  |  Loretta Urioste 29/01/09
      43.   Morales not a real Indian. 05:21  |  Lori Cabalero 29/01/09
      44.   Jay Davis 06:52  |  Taylor 29/01/09
      45.   judith 06:55  |  Taylor 29/01/09
      46.   Bolivia wants Israel tried for grnocide? 03:35  |  Leon 17/04/09
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