Bolivia cuts Israel ties over Gaza

Bolivia cuts Israel ties over Gaza

Hundreds of civilians have died in Gaza since the Israeli offensive began [Reuters] Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia, says he is breaking off ties with Israel in protest against its war in Gaza, which has left more than 1,000 Palestinians dead. Morales said on Wednesday that he would seek to get top Israeli officials, including Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, charged with "genocide" in the International Criminal Court. The Bolivian president also dismissed the United Nations and its "Insecurity Council" for its "lukewarm" response to the crisis and said the general assembly should hold an emergency session to condemn the invasion. "Considering these grave attacks against ... humanity, Bolivia will stop having diplomatic relations with Israel," Morales told diplomats in the Bolivian capital, La Paz. He also said that Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, should be stripped of his Nobel Peace Prize for failing to stop the invasion. Palestinian 'holocaust' Morales's move follows the decision by his ally Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan president, to expel Israel's ambassador in the country because of the offensive, calling it a "holocaust". Morales expelled the US ambassador from Bolivia in September after accusing him of encouraging violent protests against his government. Chavez did the same not long afterwards in "solidarity" with Morales. More than 1,000 Palestinians have now died in Israel's offensive in Gaza, around 40 per cent of whom were civilians, aid agencies and Palestinian medics say. Thirteen Israelis have also died, four from rocket fire from Gaza.

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