Chile excludes Israeli companies from participating in Latin America's largest aerospace fair

The host of the largest aerospace fair in Latin America this year, the government of Chile, announced on Tuesday that Israeli companies will not be allowed to participate in the event, scheduled to take place in Chile’s capital, Santiago next month.

“By decision of the Government of Chile, the 2024 version of the International Air and Space Fair (FIDAE), to be held between 9 and 14 April, will not have the participation of Israeli companies,” read the defense ministry statement without explaining the reason.

Chile is home to the largest Palestinian community outside of the Middle East, with more than half a million Palestinians out of a Chilean population of less than 20 million people.

In late October, Chile recalled its ambassador to Israel, alongside Bolivia and Colombia.

“Given the unacceptable violations of International Humanitarian Law that Israel has incurred in the Gaza Strip, as the Government of Chile we have resolved to call the Chilean ambassador to Israel, Jorge Carvajal, to Santiago for consultations,” Chile’s President Gabriele Boric Font said at the time. 

Israel responded that the nations were aligning themselves with Iran in support of Hamas terrorism.

“Israel expects Colombia and Chile to support the right of a democratic country to protect its citizens, and to call for the immediate release of all the abductees, and not align themselves with Venezuela and Iran in support of Hamas terrorism,” Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a global Jewish human rights organization, criticized the decision to recall their ambassadors and said that the governments of Colombia and Chile had “clearly coordinated” the move.

“Both leaders have always been hostile toward Israel and both have a history of diplomatic disagreements with representatives of the Jewish State,” the Jerusalem organization said at the time.

In January, Chile, alongside Mexico, joined in the demands by several countries to have the International Criminal Court begin an investigation into Israel's “war crimes” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.

The war broke out on Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists and their allies invaded southern Israel and massacred at least 1,200 and raped, mutilated, tortured, burned and abducted men, women, the elderly, children and babies.

“The action by Mexico and Chile is due to growing worry over the latest escalation of violence, particularly against civilian targets,” a statement released by Mexico's Foreign Ministry stated in January.

Israel’s ambassador to Chile, Gil Artzyeli, said on Tuesday that he had not been contacted by the Chilean government with news about the exclusion of Israel from the International Air and Space Fair.

“We cannot say we are surprised taking into account the (Chilean) government’s doctrine towards Israel,” he admitted.